Introduction 



The geese belong to the order Chenomorphce or Lamellirostres, the sub-order Anseres, the 

 family Anatidce, and the sub-family Anserince. 



The latter may for our purpose, i.e. in order to obtain a good definite idea of the geese 

 of Europe and Asia, be characterised as follows. Size large or medium, exceeding in the 

 majority of cases that of the ducks ; neck long, but always shorter than the body ; tarsus 

 either equal to, or slightly longer or shorter than, middle toe without claw ; toes four, of 

 which the hind one (properly great toe = hallux) is short, and without skinny lobe on lower 

 surface. Ordinarily, in the standing position of the leg, the hind toe touches the ground with 

 the claw, but sometimes it does not, as for example in the black-footed geese. The three anterior 

 digits are connected together by entire webs ; the claw of the middle toe is mostly somewhat 

 flattened, i.e. flatter than the claws of the remaining toes. The hard bill, covered with soft 

 skin, is stout, the basal portion being thick and deep (always more deep than broad), consider- 

 ably narrowing towards the point, where, on both mandibles, it terminates in a strong nail with 

 more or less sharply toothed or serrated outer edge, produced by very thickly set transverse 

 parallel furrows and ridges. In a few species (with black feet) the serration of the outer 

 edge of the nail is, however, very feebly expressed. Nail of lower mandible always flatter 

 than that of the upper. The lower mandible is overlapped by the upper, along the edges of 

 which are disposed conical teeth larger and stouter than the teeth on the edges of the former, 

 so that these teeth are always much fewer in number on the upper than on the lower man- 

 dible. The teeth referred to are the sharpened ends of transverse horny laminae, separated 

 by narrow furrows and lying on the inner surface of the mandibles. On the palate of the 

 upper mandible are several longitudinal series of flat papillae, the outer series of which on 

 each side consists sometimes of somewhat sharp spines bent backwards. The nasal fossae 

 present elongated ovals, covered with skin, into which, usually near their outer angles, 

 open pervious nasal apertures. 



Tongue fleshy, passing at its margins into a horny mass, set with reversed bristles 

 and spines, and tightly closing the furrows, which separate the transverse lamellae of the 

 mandibles when the beak is shut. 



On the under surface of the tip of the tongue lies a very thin horny plate, in shape of 

 a flat nail, the sharp outer edge of which forms a projecting transparent border. 1 Tarsus 

 covered with reticulated skin, consisting of scales for the most part square, to a less extent 

 pentagonal, and more rarely hexagonal. The upper surface of the digits is alone covered with 

 transverse skinny lamellae or scutes. Oil-gland feathered, as in whole family of Anatidce. 



The young are born with their eyes open, are covered with a thick, short down, and are 

 able to run, swim, and feed themselves on the day they are hatched. 



1 At any rate, in those species of geese whose tongues I have had the opportunity of examining. 



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