ANATIDjE— THE SWANS, GEESE, AND DUCKS. 105 



ffi. Distance from anterior end of nostril to tip ot billmueh greater 

 than from same point to loral feathers ; tail more than tirice as 

 long as tarsus. 



11. Chaiitonetta. (Page 170.) 



/> . Dlstanue from anterior end of nostril to loral feathering much less 

 than width of bill at base. 



g. Distance from posterior end of nostril to loral feathers eaual to 

 or greater than length of nostril; anterior outline of loral 

 feathering strongly convex. 



12. Histrionious. (Page 171.) 



ffi. Distance from anterior end of nostril to loral feathers less than 



half the length of the nostril; anterior outline of loral feather- 



' Ing forming a nearly straight line, ruimlng obliquely backward 



and downward from near nostril to corner of mouth. ' 



13. Clangola. (Page 173.) 



e'. Distance from tip of bill to loral feathers greater than graduation of 

 tail. 



14. Oidemia. (Page 179.) 



o'. Feathering of forehead or lores reaohing anteriorly to or beyond posterior 

 end of nostril. 



15. Somateria. (Pagel7S.) 



Tail abnormal, its feathers narrow, with very stiff shafts, their base scarcelyhidden 

 by the very short coverts. 



K. Erismatura, (Page 184.) 



Subfamily' MERGING.— The Mebganseks. 



A. Serrations of mandible conspicuously tooth-like, and strongly inclined backward at 

 tips. 



17. Merganser, (Page 187.) 



B.. Serrations of mandible short, blunt, and not distinctly inclined backward at tips. 



18. Lophodytes. (Page 190.) 



Subfamily CYGNIN.ffi.— The Swans. 

 Genus OLOR Wagler. 



Olor WAGti. Isis, 1832, 1234. Type, Anas cygnus LiNN. 



Gen. Chab. Neck very long (longer than the body); bill longer than the head (com- 

 missure longer than the tarsus), widening slightly to the end, the edges straight; basal por- 

 tion of the bill covered by a soft skin extending over the lores to the eye, the upper outline 

 running nearly straight back from the forehead to the upper eyelid, the lower running from 

 the eye obUquely downward, in a nearly straight line, to the rictus. Nostrils situated a little 

 posterior to the middle ot the maxilla, and quite near the culmen; no trace of a knob or 

 caruncle at base of the bill. Lower portion of the tibia bare ; tarsus much shorter than the 

 middle toe (but little longer than the inner), much compressed, covered with hexagonal 

 scales which become smaller on the sides and behind. Hind toe smaU, much elevated, the 

 lobe narrow. Tail very short, rounded or graduated, of 20 to 24 feathers. Wings rounded, 

 the second and third auills longest; primaries scarcely reaching beyond the ends of the 

 secondaries. Color entirely white, the sexes alike ; young pale grayish. 



The two North American species of Olor may be readily dis- 

 tinguished by the following characters : 

 —14 



