60 R. W. SHUFELDT, 
Birds” the fact that Dendrocygna belonged with the ducks among 
the Anatidae. 
Covzs, among American ornithologists, came very near arraying 
the genus with its true congeners in the last edition of his “Key”; 
but in this he failed, as he sometimes failed otherwise, when he 
undertook to succeed through misrepresentation. As he was respon- 
sible for the classification of Birds, set forth in the Century Dictionary, 
it is now clear that he was in error when he said of Dendrocygna 
that it was “A genus of arboricole duck-like geese”, (Vol. 2, p. 1532) 
which they most assuredly are not. 
In the third edition (1910) of the A.O. U. Check-List of North 
American Birds, the genus Dendrocygna of Swaınson is placed be- 
tween the Anserinae and the Cygniae; but for what reason I 
have been unable to ascertain. As accurate as that excellent work 
is, in the matter of species and subspecies, defintion, and the 
ranges of North American birds, I hardly think that the avian 
morphologist is prepared to take the classification it proposes in any 
way seriously. 
My present views upon the classification of the Anseres are as 
follows: 
Suborder Families Subfamilies 
. Cygninae 
. Anseranatinae 
. Plectropterinae 
Cereopsinae 
Anserinae 
Dendrocygninae 
. Chenonettinae 
. Anatinae 
. Fuligulinae 
Anseres 10. Erismaturinae 
11. Merganettinae 
12. Merginae 
Gastornithidae Not determined 
(extinet: provisional) 
Anatidae 
oosnuaonpom- 
The Dendroeygninae may be characterized as an arboricole 
subfamily of ducks, with very long legs; tibio-tarsi distally more 
or less denuded; mid toe considerably more than one-third the length 
of the tarsus; thecae of leg and tarso-metatarsus, reticulated; 
superior mandible longer than skull, its theca terminating distally 
