xviii SYSTEMATIC ARRANGEMENT OE THE GENERA OE BIRDS 

 ORDER ANSERES ' 



Tarsus about length of femur, reticulate at back and generally in front 

 Bill straight, always with distinct nail at tip of upper mandible. Young 

 covered with down, and able to run or swim in a few hours after hatching. 



FAMILY ANATID^ 



(Ducks, Geese, Swans, etc.) 



Bill thick, broad, high at the base, covered with a thin membranous skin 

 and ending in a nail-like horny tip ; edges of the mandibles cut into thin 

 parallel ridges, or toothed ; wings moderate ; legs placed not very far be- 

 hind ; feet, four-toed, palmated ; hind toe free, placed high on the tarsus. 

 Food, grass and aquatic weeds, worms, insects, molluscs, and small fish. 



SUB-FAMILY ANSERINM 

 JJ. Anser (Geese). Bill nearly long as head, elevated and covered with 

 cere or skin at base ; conspicuous nail at tip ; under mandible 

 smaller than upper ; nostrils lateral, near middle of bill ; taU of 

 sixteen feathers ; legs under centre of body ; hind toe free, articu- 

 lated upon tarsus. -Pags 176 



78. Bernicla (Brent and Bernicle Geese). Bill shorter than head, higher 



than broad at base ; culmen slightly convex, outline of lower man- 

 dible decidedly so, leaving elliptical space displaying lamellae ; 

 nostrils sub-basal ; neck feathers less furrowed than in Anser; tail 

 short, rounded ; tibia feathered to joint ; hind toe short and ele- 

 vated. Page 180 



79. Cygnus (Swans). Bill of equal length throughout, furnished with 



knob at base ; nostrils medial ; legs short ; neck exceedingly long. 



Page 181 



SUB-FAMILY A NATION 



Bill of equal width throughout, or broader at the top than at the base, of 



about the same width as the head ; legs short, placed rather behin 1 the middle 



of the body ; hind toe without a pendent membrane ; tarsi somewhat round. 



80. Tadorna (Sheldrake). Bill with an elevated tubercle at the base, 



depressed in the middle; nostrils large, pervious; lower portion 

 of tarsus in front with a row of transverse scuteUae. Page 184 



81. Anas (Mallard, GadwaU). Bill long as head, broad, depressed, sides 



parallel, sometimes partially dilated, both mandibles with transverse 

 lamellae on inner edges ; nostrils small, oval, lateral, anterior to 

 base of bill ; wings rather long, pointed ; tail wedge-shaped ; legs 

 rather short ; hind toe without lobe. Sexes differ in plumage. 



Page 185 



82. Spatula (Shoveller). Bill much longer than head, widening towards 



end, lamellae projecting conspicuously ; no soft membrane on sides 

 of bill towards tip ; wing pointed, first and second quills longest ; 

 tail short, graduated; legs very short. Page 189 



83. Dafila (Pintail). Bill long as head, edges nearly parallel, widening a 



little to end, lamellae not strongly defined ; neck long, slender; tail 

 sharply pointed, central rectrices considerably elongated in male- 

 margin of web to anterior toes slightly emarginate. Page 1 90 



84. QuERQUEDULA (Teal). Bill long as head, lamellae exposed along pro- 



jecting edge of upper mandible ; tail of sixteen feathers, short and 

 rounded; hind toe very small, outer shorter than third, centre 

 rather long ; interdigital membrane emarginate. Page igi 



