1.148 



COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



Genus. Mareca. — Bill equally broad throughout; laminae 

 prominent. Wings, rirat and second quills longest. Habitat — 

 Many parts of world. 



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

 keel. Wings, lirst quill longest, tertial long and sharp. Tail 

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



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

 and narrow. Wings, second quill longest, secondaries long and 

 sharp. Habitat — Many parts .it' world. 



Genus. Spatula. — Bill longer than head, narrowed at base, 

 having tip small and hooked; laminae of upper inaudible long 

 and slender; nostrils oval, near base. Habitat — Most parts of 

 World. 



Sub-family. Fuligulinae.— Bill elevated at base, tlat and broad 

 towards tip, which has a broad strong borny nail. Tarsi short 

 and compressed. Toes long, and well webbed; hind toe short, 

 with broad membranous web. 



Genus. Fuligula. — Bill nearly long as head, edges curved 



Habitat— New Zealand, 



upwards. Wings, first quill longest. 

 Northern Europe, Asia, and America. 



Genus. NyrOCA. — Bill long as head, lamime not prominent, 

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

 Habitat — Most northern parts ,,f world. 



Genus. So.viateria. — Bill divided at base by feathers; front 

 flattened and narrowed, laminae wide. Wings, first and second 

 quills longest. Habitat — Northern Europe and America. 



Sub-family, Merging.— 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. MerGtUS. — Bill slender, tip hooked, edges widely 

 notched. Wings, first and second quills longest. Tail gradu- 

 ated. Habitat — Northern regions. 



Genus. Mergellus. — Bill much shorter than head, tip broad 

 and hooked, edges notched closely, nostrils near middle of bill. 

 Habitat —Northern regions. 



Family. COLYMBID.E. — Bill long, compressed, and straight, 

 nostrils in groove. Tail very short. Tarsi short and much 

 compressed; three front tees webbed, hind toe short, edged 

 with slight membrane. 



Sub-family. Colymbinae. — Bill, tip curved, nostrils at base. 

 Wings long and pointed. 



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

 Tail rounded. Habitat — Northern regions. 



Sub-family. 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 tips. Outer toe longer 

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

 of world. 



Family. A.LC1DM.— Bill long, mostly curved to tip. Wings 

 short. Tail short and graduated. Hind toe small or absent. 



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

 above and below, top of upper mandible hooked; nostrils nar- 

 row. Wings moderate, first quill longest. Hind toe wanting. 

 Genus. Alca. — Beak plumed at base, front half horny, much 

 compressed, keel of lower mandible curved downwards, nos- 

 trils at base. Wings pointed. Habitat — Northern regions. 



Genus. Fratercuxa. — Bill short, all horny, very deep, very 

 much compressed; keel deep and sharp. Naked skin at gape. 

 Halo tat — Northern regions. 



Sub-family. Spheniscinae. — loll long and straight, sides com- 

 pressed 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. Aptexodytes. — Bill slender, base plumed, lower 

 mandible covered with bare skin. Tarsi very short and plumed. 

 Claws large. Habitat — Antarctic regions. 



Sub-family. Urinae. — Bill moderate, tip scooped, nostrils in 

 plumed groove. Wings pointed. Tail short ami rounded. Hind 

 toe wanting. 



Genus. Fun.— Bill, keel slightly curved. Wings, firs*, quill 

 longest. Tarsi with small scab's. ' Habitat— Arctic regions. 



Family. PKOCELLARIDJE.— Bill long, straight. [pressed, 



very deeply grooved, tip strong, arched, and suddenly hooked, 

 nostnls tubular and exposed. 



Sub-family. Procellarinae. — Nostrils in base of keel. 

 Genus. TiialassIDRoma. — Bill shorter than head, and slen- 

 der; nostrils elevate, 1 in front above keel, with a single aperture 

 in front. Wings, second quill longest. Tad forked. Legs 

 long and slender, thighs partially naked. Toes short, hind toe 

 triangular. Habitat— Many parts of globe. 



Genus. Procellaria. — Boll not longer than head, tip com- 

 pressed and sharp, nostrils with a single crescent-shaped open- 



ing. Wings, first quill longest. Tip of thigh nearly feathered, 

 hind toe triangular. Habitat — High latitudes of both hemi- 

 spheres. 



Sub-family, Diomedeinue. — Nostrils short, tubular, widest in 

 front, and near base of lateral groove. 



'o'/ois. 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. LARIDiE. — 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 

 curved to tip. 



Germs. SterCORarius. — Keel of bill covered with membra- 

 nous or bony cere, tip wattled and strong; nostrils narrow, in fore 

 part of cere. Wings, first quill longest; two central feathers of 

 tail sometimes lengthened. Hind toe very small. Habitat — 

 High latitudes of both hemispheres. 



Genus. Lakis. — Bill not longer than head, nostrils at side 

 and near middle, longitudinal. Wings, first quill longest. Tail 

 even. Habitat— Most parts of world. 



Genus. RlSBA. — Bill longer than head. Hind toe rudimental. 

 Habitat — Northern parts of world. 



Sub-family. Rhyncopinse. — Upper mandible much shorter 

 than lower, and grooved t.> receive v^'^a of lower, much com- 

 pressed throughout. Wings, long, sharp, curved at tip. Tail 

 forked. Front toes partly united by indented web. 



Genus. Rhi'XCOPk. — Bill broad at base, then suddenly com- 

 press, d; lower mandible truncated. Wings, first quill longest. 

 Hind toe elevated, touching ground with tip, claws long and 

 curved. Habitat — Tropical parts of world. 



Sub-family. Sterninae. — Bill long, slender, straight, and 

 sharp; nostrils narrow at side of base. Wings long and pointed. 

 Tail [eiked. Toes webbed. 



Genus. Sterna. — Nostrils with plumes reaching the opening. 

 Wings, first quill longest. Front toes united by indented web; 

 hind Pie very short. Habitat — .Most parts of world. 



Genus. Axous. — Bill longer than head, gradually curved 

 above to tip. Tail with sides rounded or forked. Wings, first 

 quill longest. Toes long and fully webbed, outer larger than 

 inner. Hind toe long and slender. Habitat — Tropical seas. 



Family. PELECANIDJE.— Bill long, broad at base, straight, 

 and compressed. Nostrils very narrow. Sometimes a pouch 

 from base of lower mandible. Wings long, first quill longest. 

 Tarsi short and strong. All toes united by membrane. Face ' 

 and throat partially feathered. 



Sub-family. Phaetoninas. — Bill long as head, sharp, gently 

 curved above. Two middle feathers of tail very long and nar- 

 row. 



Genus, Phaeton. — Edges of bill notched, nostrils partly 

 closed by membrane. Wings, first quill longest. Claws small. 

 Habitat — Tropical seas. 



Sub-familu. Plotuiae. — Bill with edges finely notched, nos- 

 trils covered by a shield. Tail long and widening towards end. 

 Front toes broadly webbed. Hind toe united to inner by web. 



Genus. PLOTUS. — Bill longer than head, straight, slender, 

 very sharp; nostrils scarcely visible. Wings, second and third 

 quills longest. Outer toe long as middle. Habitat — Warmer 

 parts of Asia, Africa, and America. 



Suli-family. Pelecaninas. — Bill long, flattened above, com- 

 pressed. Iniokcd /it tip; nostrils in grooves, hardly visible. 

 Tail short. All toes united by web. Lower mandible and 

 throat with membranous pouch. 



Genus. Sri. a. — Bill straight, slightly curved towards tip, 

 grooved and edges unequally notched. Wings, first and second 

 quills longest. Tail graduated. Tarsi with keel behind. Claw 

 of middle toe notched, that of hind toe rudimental. Below 

 lower mandible and on breast, a naked expansile space. 

 Habitat — Many parts of world. 



Genus. GRACULUS. — Bill straight, slender. Wings, second 

 and third quills longest. Tail rounded. Habitat — Most parts 

 of both hemispheres. 



Genus. Pelecaxus. — Bull very long, rounded above at base, 

 flat towards tip, which is strongly "hooked, lower inaudible 

 broader at base than upper, narrowing to tip. Wings, second 

 quill longest, secondaries nearly as long as quills, fail short 

 and rounded. Lower mandible with large extensile pouch. 

 Habitat -Many parts of world. 



Genus. Atagex.— Bill longer than head, flattened and con- 

 cave above, then suddenly hooked and sharp, sides compressed 

 and grooved. Wings very long ami narrow, first and second 

 quills longest. Tail very long and deeply forked. Tarsi very 

 short, half feathered. Throat naked, capable of being dilated 

 into a pouch as far as breast. Habitat— Tropics. 



