lOS VEKTEI'.RATKS : CIKIiS. 



Heron, and li\'es m the s«-amps of the Southern States. 

 In order to obtain food, it mo\-es about in the shallow- 

 waters until these become mudd}", wlien the fishes rise 

 to the surface, and are struck and killed b\- its bill 



SWIMIIERS, OR NaTATORES. 



Tliese Hn-ds are fitted to li\-e in and about the water. 

 Their feet are webbed, and the plumage is thick and 

 made waterproof by the oil wdth w hich they dress it. 

 The^• swim easih', and most of them are expert divers. 

 Swans, Geese, Ducks, Pelicans, Petrels, Gulls, Di\-ers, 

 Auks, and their relati\-es, belong in this group. 



Swans, Geese, and Ducks. 



The Swans ha\'e the neck ^'ery 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 ^^'ild Goose is larger than the Common Goose, 

 of a brownish color, ^\■ith black head, neck, bill, feet, 

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

 flocks, mox'ing northward, where they rear theii' i,"oung, 

 returning south in autumn. The peculiar noise made 

 b\' a flock as the\' pass o\"er is familiar to all. They 

 are sometimes tamed, but often manifest a desire to 

 join the migrating flocks. A wild goose was kept all 

 winter with a flock of common geese. The following 

 spring it joined a part\- of its own kind which was pass- 

 ing over. The next autumn, as a flock of wild geese 

 was returning southward, three of the number sepa- 

 rated from the others and alighted in the poultry yard. 



