APPENDIX. 803 



APPENDIX. 



The following technical descriptions are taken 

 mainly from " Giraud's Birds of Long Island," a 

 work that is now almost out of print, but which is 

 more valuable to the student of nature than some of 

 its more pretentious rivals ; and I have interpolated 

 such suggestions and made such alterations as my 

 experience dictated and the purposes of this work 

 demanded. A discourse on the wild-fowl of the 

 Northern States hardly seemed complete without 

 such a description of them as would enable the sports- 

 man to distinguish one from another ; and yet it was 

 not within the purview of a work intended for 

 sportsmen, to devote much attention or many of its 

 pages to ornithology. This is therefore condensed 

 into an Appendix, where it will not trouble the 

 general reader, but will be easy of reference when the 

 information it contains is wanted. 



The Goose. 



Genus Anser, Briss. 



Generic Distinctions. — In this class of birds, the 

 bill is shorter than the head, rather higher than 

 broad at the base ; head small, compressed ; neck 

 long and slender ; body full ; feet short, stout, and 



