LECTURE VI. 239 



ming. They consist of the Swan or Goose-tribe, 

 the Penguins, the Gulls, the Grebes, the Pelicans, 

 and several others. 



This order is considered as analogous to the 

 order Belliia among the Mammalia. The bill in 

 these birds is in general either somewhat dilated 

 at the tip, or furnished with a kind of nail or ap- 

 pendix at that part, and in most it is so con- 

 structed as to operate as a sort of strainer, the 

 edges being toothed with slight prominences. The 

 feet in all are very widely webbed, the legs strong 

 and short, and the whole body stout, fat, and mus- 

 cular. Their food consists of fish and other water 

 animals, and frequently of water-plants. Their 

 rest is generally on the ground j but sometimes on 

 lofty rocks : the number of eggs in the birds of 

 this order differs greatly in the different genera, 

 some laying only one eg^ ; others two ; others 

 four, and others a great number, from ten to 

 twenty. 



As the chief examples of the tribe of Anseres 

 or w^eb-footed birds, may be adduced the wild 

 and tame Swan, or the Anas Cygnus ferus, and 

 domesticus ; the genus Anas containing all the 

 birds distinguished in common language by the 



