120 MANUAL 



species are not many, yet they congregate in immense num- 

 bers in favorable and favorite localities. Though, like the 

 Ducks, they have the feathered loral spaces they are easily dis- 

 tinguished by the reticulations of the tarsus — neither are the 

 legs placed so far backwards which gives them a firmer wad- 

 dle when they walk. The habits, in general, of Geese seem to 

 be more periodic and regular than of the Ducks. The habits 

 of the different species are not so well known as they should 

 be, and here is a fine field for the working ornithologist. The 

 different genera are well marked, and all of our species now 

 pretty fairly characterized, notwithstanding their former con- 

 fused state. 



Genera, Chen, The Snow Geese (4 species). 



Anser, The White-fronted Geese (2 species). 



Philacte, The Emperor Goose. 



Bernicla, The Canada Geese or Brants (7 species). 



Dendrocycna [or Dendrocygnd] The Tree Ducks (2 species). 



We shall not enter upon the old synonymy of this sub-family, yet a few 

 points maj r be necessary. Anser was often used for both anser and chen; 

 Anser and Bernicla were used interchangeably for bernicla ; and Den- 

 dronessa for dendrocycna : this latter was formerly classed with the Ducks 

 as Anas. 



Sub-family c ANATIN.ffi River Ducks 



The majority of this sub-family are easily recognized It is 

 not so easy to draw the line between them and some of the 

 duck-like geese and the Sea Ducks ; yet the arbitrary distin- 

 guishing characters — for such they are in reality — are near 

 enough to give us a fairly accurate diagnosis. The small size, 

 the short neck [and legs], and the flattened, rather than 

 rounded or compressed, shape of the bill uniting with the 

 feathered loral spaces and scutellate, rather than reticulate, 

 tarsus and simple hind toe (hallux), will greatly assist in the 

 separation from the other sub-families. It were less difficult 

 to define the difference between the Geese and River Ducks, 

 than that between the latter and the Sea Ducks. The River 

 Ducks are, eminently, Rivee Ducks. They frequent rivers, 

 ponds, lakes, and inland waters generally. They seldom oc- 



