challenged by men who should know the truth on account of 

 experience, but who do not know because of defective observa- 

 tions and interests. 



I trust that T may be able to show that the subject is 

 exceedingly interesting from different standpoints, and yet little 

 can be explained in one paper in proportion to what is to be 

 known and which should be known by every man who has 

 interest enough in sport to take a gun in hand and go in pursuit 

 of game. It is the intention of this paper to deal almost entirely 

 with the orders, as time and space do not permit of an investi- 

 gation of individual species. 



I. SYSTEMATIC TREATMENT. 



The systematic or Alphabetical standpoint is that which 

 names our subjects, classifies them into Orders, Families, Genera, 

 and species, according to their diversity of form, coloration or 

 habitat ; traces th? general relations of all forms to each other, 

 and is the centre of the investigations of the evolutionists. 



In dealing with our game birds from this standpoint of 

 view, therefore, we first perceive that they are grouped into 

 three orders, with a total local representation of 78 species, viz. : 



Anseres, including ducks, geese, and swans, with 37 repre- 

 sentative species. 



Limicolae, including snipe, sandpipers, and plovers, with 36 

 representative species. 



Gallinae, including grouse, quail and turkeys, with 7 local 

 species. 



A comparison of the three orders shows that the order 

 Anseres are all birds adapted to aquatic life, the Gallinae for 

 life on dry land, while Limicolae form the connecting link, being 

 adapted for a sub-aquatic life. 



Let us make a systematic comparison of the structures of 

 the three orders to show adaptation to conditions. 



1. Anseres. — Feet webbed ; adapted for swimming ; tarsus 

 short and thick ; bill stout, flat or round with teeth or toothed 

 ridges to assist in securing submerged food, the ridges acting as 

 strainers or gutters to allow the water to escape ; sternum flat. 



