94 VERTEBRATES: BIRDS. 



Heron, and lives in the swamps of the Southern States. 

 In order to obtain food, it moves about in the shallow 

 waters until these become muddy, when the fishes rise 

 to the surface, and are struck and killed by its bill. 



SWIMMERS, OR NATATORES. 



These birds are fitted to live in and about the water. 

 Their feet are webbed, and the plumage is thick and 

 made water-proof by the oil with which they dress it. 

 They swim with great ease, and most of them are ex- 

 pert divers. Swans, Geese, Ducks, Pelicans, Petrels, 

 Gulls, Divers, Auks, and their relatives, belong in this 

 group. 



SWANS, GEESE, AND DUCKS. 



The Swans have the neck very long, and they are 

 much larger than the largest goose. There are two 

 species' in North -America, — the American Swan and 

 the Trumpeter, both pure white. 



The Wild Goose is larger than the common goose, 

 of a brownish color, with black head, neck, bill, feet, 

 and tail. Wild Geese are seen in early spring in large 

 flocks, moving northward, where they rear their young, 

 returning south in autumn. The peculiar noise made 

 by a flock as they pass over is familiar to all. They 

 are sometimes tamed, but often manifest a desire to 

 join the migrating flocks. Wilson says a wild goose 

 was captured by a farmer on Long Island, and kept 

 all winter with a flock of common geese. The follow- 

 ing spring it joined a party of its own kind which was 

 passing over. The next autumn, as a flock of wild 

 geese was returning southward, and passing directly 

 over this man's farm, three of the number separated 



