14 CHECK LIST OF THE 



FAMILY PELECANID^E. (THE PELICANS.) 



Bill very long, straight grooved throughout, with a claw-like hook 

 at the end; the broad space between the branches of the lower mandible 

 occupied by a large membraneous sac; nostrils abortive; wings very 

 long ; tail very short ; feet short and stout. 



GENUS PELECANUS. 



(*) (125) American White Pelican. 



(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos.) 



An accidental visitor to the great lakes. They breed commonly in 

 Northern Manitoba and the Western Provinces. 



Order ANSERES. (The Lamellirostral Swimmers.) 



Swimming birds with feet four-toed, palmate, hind toe small, ele- 

 vated. Bill lamellate ; no gular pouch. Legs short. 



This order contains nearly all the water-fowl which are valued in 

 domestication, or as game birds. 



FAMILY ANATID^E. (DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS.) 



Bill laminate, i.e. furnished along each cutting edge with a regular 

 series of tooth-like processes, which correspond to certain laciniate pro- 

 cesses of the fleshy tongue, which ends in a horny tip ; bill large, thick, 

 high at base, depressed towards the end, membraneous except at the 

 obtuse tip, which is occupied by a horny nail. Body heavy, flattened 

 beneath. Head high, compressed, with sloping forehead; eyes small. 

 Tail short, except in the full plumaged males of Dafila and Harelda, 

 both of which have the central tail feathers much prolonged. Legs and 

 feet short, the anterior toes full webbed. Tibia feathered. All are good 

 swimmers and, with us, more or less migratory. 



SUBFAMILY MERGING. (THE MERGANSERS.) 

 GENUS MERGANSER. 



(129) American Merganser. (Goosander.) 

 (Merganser americanus.) 



A common resident, breeding in the northern part of the Province 

 and spending the winter on the open water of the lakes and rapid rivers 

 near our southern boundary. 



These birds are very destructive to our fisheries. 



