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COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



Gen.m. PncENlcoPTERUS.— Nostrils in groove, narrow, 

 covered by membrane. Wings, first and second quilla 

 longest. Tail short. Hind toe nearly toiicliing ground. 

 Habitat — Warmer parts of world. 



Still-family. Plectropteiinse. — Bill long, with broad 

 horny tip. Knee and end of thigh bare. Tarsi with 

 squared scales. Hind toe long. 



Genus. Plectrophanes. — Bill, keel sloping to tip, base 

 large ; nostrils oval. Naked protulierance on base of keel. 

 Wings, second to fourth quills longest, a spur on the bend. 

 Tail short and round. Cheeks and part of neck bare. 

 H abitat — Africa. 



Suh-fami/y. Anserinse.— Bill not larger than head, keel 

 elevated at base, slojiing to tip, which has a hard homy tip. 

 Knee bax-e, hind toe short, partially lobed. 



Genus. Cereopsis. — Bill very short, arched above till 

 near tip, and then flattened ; nostrils large, rounded, in 

 cere. Wings, first quill short. Toes with indented web, 

 hind toe not lobed. Habitat — Australia. 



Gemis. Anser.— Bill rather long, laminae at edge very 

 wide, edge of upper mandible arched at base ; nostrils in 

 middle of bill, longitudinal. Habitat — Europe, Asia, and 

 America. 



Genus. Bernicla. — Bill shorter than head, laminte not 

 exposed, but wide ; nostrils narrow, in middle of bill. 

 Wings, first and second, or second only, longest. Tail short 

 and rounded. Hind toe very short and elevated. Habitat 

 — Many parts of world. 



Suh-famih/. Cygninse,— Bill long as head, with a soft 

 cere, bill eifually broad throughout. Front toes with large 

 web, hind toe not lobed, keel very long. 



Genus. Cygnus. — Cere extending to eye, tip homy. 

 Wings, second and third quills longest. Tail short and 

 rounded. Habitat — Northern Europe, Asia, and America. 



Suh-famib/. Anatinse. — Bill flattened towards tip, which 

 has a horny termination. Hind toe long and slightly lobed. 



Geims. Aix. — Bill shorter than head, horny tip very 

 large, edges straight. Wings, second quill longest. Toes 

 with large web. Habitat — America and China. 



Gemis. Mareca. — Bill equally broad throughout; la- 

 mina; prominent. Wings, first and second quills longest. 

 Habitat — Many parts of world. 



Genus. Anas. — Bill longer than head ; nostrils near base 

 of keel. Wings, first quill longest, tertial long and sharp. 

 Tail short and wedge-shaped. Habitat — Most parts of 

 worhl. 



Genus. Querquedula. — Bill long as head, horny tip, 

 hooked and narrow. Wings, second quill longest, secondaries 

 long and sharp. Habitat — Many jjarts of world. 



Genm. Spatula. — Bill longer than head, narrowed at 

 base, having tip small and hooked ; laminae of upper man- 

 dible long and slender ; nostrils oval, near base. Habitat — 

 Most parts of world. 



S!(h-famih/. Fuligulinse. — Bill elevated at base, flat and 

 broad towards tip, which has a broad strong horny nail. 

 Tarsi short and compressed. Toes long, and well webbed ; 

 hind toe short, with broad membranous web. 



Gemis. FULIGULA. — Bill nearly long as head, edges 

 curved upwards. Wings, first quill longest. Habitat — New 

 Zealand, Northern Europe, Asia, and America. 



Genus. Nyboca. — Bill long as head, laminse not promi- 

 nent, nostrils oval, near base. Wings, first and second quills 

 longest. Habitat — Most northern parts of world. 



Genus. Somateria. — Bill divided at base by feathers ; 

 front flattened and narrowed, laminse wide. Wings, first and 

 second quills longest. Habitat — Northern Europe and 

 America. 



Suh-fainily. Merginae. — Bill straight, much compressed, 

 keel elevated at base, convex towards tip, edges notched. 

 Wings pointed. Tail short and rounded. Front toes well 

 webbed, hind toe edged with web. 



Genus. Mergus. — Bill slender, tip hooked, edges widely 

 notched. Wings, first and second quills longest. Tail 

 graduated. Habitat — Northern regions. 



Genus. Mergbllus. — Bill much shorter than head, tip 

 broad and hooked, edges notched closely, nostrils near 

 middle of bill. Habitat— Northern regions. 



Family. COLYMBID-ffil. — Bill long, compressed, and 

 straight, nostrils in groove. Tail very short. Tarsi short 

 and much compressed ; three front toes webbed, hind toe 

 short, edged with slight membrane. 



Sub-family. Colymbinae. — Bill, tiji curved, nostril at base. 

 Wings long and pointed. 



Genus. Colymbus.— Wings, first and second quills longest. 

 Tail rounded. Habitat — Northern regions. 



Subfamily. Podicepinse. — Bill slightly curved above at 

 tip ; nostrils oblong. Wings, first quill longest. Tail not 

 visible. Front toes broadly lobed. 



Genus. Podiceps. — Nostrils in short groove. Wings, first 

 and second quills slightly scooped at tij^s. Outer toe longer 

 than inner, hind toe short, strongly lobed. Habitat — Most 

 parts of world. 



Family. ALCIDJE. — Bill long, mostly curved to tip. 

 Wings short. Tail short and graduated. Hind toe small 

 or absent. 



Sub-family. Alcinse. — Bill short, compressed, boldly keeled 

 above and below, top of upper mandible hooked ; nostrils 

 narrow. Wings moderate, first quill longest. Hind toe 

 wanting. 



Genus. Alca. — Beak plumed at base, front half homy, 

 much compressed, keel of lower mandible curved downwards, 

 nostrils at base. Wings pointed. Habitat — Northern 

 regions. 



Genus. Fratercula. — Bill short, all homy, veiy deep, 

 very much compressed ; keel deep and sharp. Naked skin 

 at g&pe. Habitat — Northern regions. 



Sub-family. Spheniscinae. — Bill long and straight, sides 

 compressed and grooved, keel rounded at tip, nostrils in 

 groove. Wings short, imperfect, feathers scale-like. Tail 

 very short and stiff. Front toes webbed ; hind toe very 

 small. 



Genus. Aptenodttes.^ — Bill slender, base plumed, lower 

 mandible covered with bare skin. Tarsi very short and 

 plumed. Claws large. Habitat — Antarctic regions. 



Sub-family. Urinse. — Bill moderate, tip scooped, nostrils 

 in plumed groove. Wings pointed. Tail short and rounded. 

 Hind toe wanting. 



Genus. UitiA. — Bill, keel slightly curved. Wings, first 

 quill longest. Tarsi with small scales. Habitat — Arctic 



regions. 



Family. PROCELLARID.ffi.— Bill long, straight, com- 

 pressed, very deeply grooved, tip strong, arched, and sud- 

 denly hooked, nostrils tubular and exposed. 



Subfamily. Procellarinae. — Nostrils in base of keel. 



Genus. Thalassidroma. — Bill shorter than head, and 

 slender ; nostrils elevated in front above keel, with a single 

 aperture in front. Wings, second quill longest. Tail forked. 

 Legs long and slender, thighs partially naked. Toes short, 

 hind toe triangular. Habitat — Many j)arts of globe. 



Genus. Procellaria. — Bill not longer than head, tip 

 compressed and sharp, nostrils with a single crescent-shaped 

 opening. Wings, first quill longest. Tip of thigh nearly 

 feathered, hind toe triangular. Habitat — High latitudes of 

 both hemispheres. 



Sub-family. Diomedeinae. — Nostrils short, tubular, widest 

 in front, and near base of lateral groove. 



Genus. Diomedea. — Bill longer than head, strong, lower 

 mandible weak, compressed, truncated at tip. Wings very 

 long and narrow, second quill longest. Two exterior toes 

 edged on outside with narrow membrane, hind toe wanting. 

 Habitat — Both hemispheres. 



Family. LARTDJE. — Bill straight, compressed. Wings 

 long and pointed. Tail long. Tarsi with transverse scales 

 in front. Hind toe mostly short. 



Sub-family.- — Larinae. — Bill long, straight above at first, 

 then ciu-ved to tip. 



