420 LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



Anserinae. Xeck moderately long (shorter than the body) ; size variable (usually medium, 

 never very large) ; bill not longer than the head, tapering to the end, which is chiefly 

 occupied by the large, broad nail ; tarsus longer than the middle toe ; lores feathered ; 

 tail-leathers 14-20 ; color extremely variable. 



Anatinse. Neck moderately long (shorter than the body) ; size variable (usually small or 

 medium) ; bill extremely \'ariable ; tarsus shorter than the middle toe; lores usually 

 feathered ; tail-feathers 14-18 ; color extremely variable. 



Sub-family CYGrNIN^, Bonapaete. — The Swans.* 



" 1838. — Cygnince, Bp. Comp. List, p. 55. 

 1850. — Cygnidce, Kaup {fide Gp.ay). 

 1852. — Olorinw, Ekichb. Syst. Av. p. x. 

 1860. — Ci/cnirfic, Des Mues, Tr. Ool. Oruith. p. 537. 



" DiAGN. Anatidce haviiig the hind toe tvithout web and the lores naked, coincident with reticulate 

 tarsi, the latter shorter tlmn the middle with the claw. 



" Neck very long, as long as, or longer than, the body. Bill longer than the head, broad, and 

 of nearly equal breadth for the whole length, rounded at the end, culmen high, depressed at the 

 tip ; nail rather large, only slightly arched ; lamellae of upper mandible vertical, in one row ; 

 nostrils situated nearly at the middle of the bill, in the fore part of the oblong nasal sinus. Lores 

 naked in the adults ; in all species, excejit one, thinly covered \\ith small down or feathers in the 

 young. Legs short, stout ; lower part of tibia naked ; tarsi compressed, much shorter than the 

 middle toe with the claw, and covered with small hexagonal plates, the size of which diminishes 

 laterally and posteriorly ; the anterior toes reticulate as far as the second joint, then scutellate ; 

 middle toe longest, longer than the tarsus, the outer longer than the inner, which has a broad 

 margin ; hind toe short, elevated, and without web, the claws strong, arched, compressed, except 

 the middle, which is only compressed on the one side, the claw of the inner toe in old birds the 

 largest and most arched. Wings long, ample, the inner remiges highly developed, with about 32 

 quills. Tail composed of 20-24 reotrices, short, rounded, or cuneate. 



" Sexes similar. 



" The preceding marks combined appear to express the essential characters of the Cygnince. By 

 this diagnosis I follow Mr. Sundevall in excluding the genus Coscoroba, Reichb., which has the 

 lores feathered at all ages. . . . The removal of Coscoroba to the Anatinm will be discussed more 

 explicitly below. The criterion 'tarsi reticulate' further excludes the genera Cain'jia, Flem., 

 and Plectropterus, Leach, which, it is true, have the lores naked, but the tarsi of which are scutel- 

 late instead of reticulate. Anseranas, Less., has certainly both naked lores and reticulate tarsi, but 

 differs in having the tarsus longer than the middle toe with claw. 



" Anatidc: which do not at once unite all the above characters consequently belong to one of 

 the other sub-families." 



" Synopsis of the Genera. 



a'. Predominant color of the adults while ; young with downy or feathered lores ; tertiaries and 

 scapulars normal, not crisp ; tail longer than the middle toe with claw, 

 i*. TaQ cuneate ; the young with the down on the sides of the bill not forming loral antiaj.t 

 c\ Inner webs of outer four primaries and outer webs of the second, third, fourth, and 

 fifth sinuated ; the young with the down on the sides of the bill reaching almost 

 to the nostrils ; webs of the feet scalloped. 



* In the preparation of this article on the Cygninte much use has heen made of the very valuable 

 "Outlines of a Monograph of the Ciignina;" hy Dr. Leonhard Stejueger, published in Vol. 5 of the 

 "Proceedings of the U. S. National Museum," pp. 174-2-21. The matter taken directly therefrom is 

 inclosed in quotation marks. 



t This term denotes the projecting angle of tlie loral feathering at the base of the bill. 



