154 ANSERINE. CYGNUS. 



on the fore part of the breast a large patch of deep chestnut- 

 red ; feathers under the tail pale yellowish-red. Female 

 similar, but with the colours duller. 



Male, 28, 58, 15f, 2 T 2 *, 3, 2J, T V- 



The claims of this species to be admitted as British are 

 somewhat similar to those of the Pheasant. Its proper coun- 

 try is Africa, over the whole extent of which it is said to 

 occur, as well as, occasionally, in the south-eastern parts of 

 Europe. But having been introduced into this country, it 

 thrives remarkably well, and individuals are not unfrequent- 

 ly met with apparently wild. 



Anas JEgyptiaca, Gmel. Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 512. Anas 

 JEgyptiaca, Lath. Ind. Ornith. ii. Anser JEgyptiacus, 

 Ternm. Man. d'Ornith. iv. 523. Chenalopex JEgyptiacus, 

 Egyptian Fox-Goose, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, v. 



GENUS CXXIII. CYGNUS. SWAN. 



This genus is formed of a small number of species, re- 

 markable for their great size, they being the largest birds 

 of the order to which they belong, and distinguishable from 

 the Geese and other allied genera by the extreme bulk of 

 their ovato-oblong, full, and somewhat depressed body, their 

 excessively elongated and slender neck, and short, consider- 

 ably depressed tarsi. Bill rather longer than the head, 

 large, higher than broad at the base, gradually becoming 

 more depressed, of nearly equal breadth throughout, and 

 rounded at the end ; upper mandible with the ridge broad 

 and flattened at the base, gradually narrowed, convex to- 

 ward the end, the dorsal line sloping, more or less concave, 

 the unguis generally roundish, large, and convex, the edges 

 straight, and concealing the narrow, blunt tips of the slen- 

 der, little elevated lamellae ; lower mandible with the inter- 

 crural space very long, of moderate width, bare for two- 

 thirds, the short dorsal line convex, the low^er outline of the 

 crura slightly rearcuate, the unguis roundish, and little con- 

 vex. Mouth of moderate width ; anterior palate deeply 

 concave, with a medial row of prominent blunt tubercles, 

 and on each side an oblique series of flattened tubercles, 

 with obscure flattened lamellae, and marginal little elevated 

 lamellae ; tongue fleshy, thick, with the sides parallel, the 



