Order CHENOMORPH^. 



The characteristics of this order, as defined by Huxley, are : palate desmo- 

 guathous ; young covered with down and able to run or swim in a few 

 hours after hatching. 



The order is divided into three suborders, but with the tirst of these — 

 the " Palamedea?, or Screamers " — we have nothing to do, as they are 

 confined to the Neotropical Region and do not visit our part of the world. 



The two remaining suborders are the Phoenicopteri, or Flamingoes, and 

 the Anseres, or true Swans, Geese, and Ducks. There can be no chance 

 of these two being confounded by anyone, as the two forms are so widely 

 different. 



Keii to Suborders . 



A. Tarsus three times the length oE femur ; bill strongly bent 



downwards in the centre Phcenicopteei. 



B. Tarsus about the same length as the femur ,; bill not bent 



but straight Anseres, 



The suborder Phamicopteri contains but one family — the '' Phcenico- 

 pteridse," — and that family (so far as we arc concerned) but two genera, 

 both of which contain but a single species. 



Key to Genera. 



a. Upper mandible overlapping lower ; throat naked . . . PhccmcojiU-rus. 

 h. Upper mandible not overlapping ; throat feathered . . . P/ioniconaias. 



