Order  VII.  ANSERES. 
Family  I.  Anatidje. 
The  third  Subfamily, 
ANSERINE,  or  Geese, 
have  the  Bill  as  long  as,  or  shorter  than,  the  head,  the  culmen  much  elevated  at  the  base  and  gradually 
sloping  to  the  tip,  which  is  armed  with  a  large  broad  nail,  the  sides  compressed,  and  the  marginal  laminse 
more  or  less  apparent ;  the  "Wings  lengthened  ;  the  Tarsi  longer  than  the  middle  toe,  and  the  knee 
naked  ;  the  Toes  short,  and  strongly  webbed,  with  the  hind  toe  short,  elevated,  and  scarcely  lobed. 
Cereopsis  Lath.* 
Bill  very  short,  with  the  base  elevated,  and  the  culmen  arched  for  three  fourths  of  its  length,  and 
then  depressed  to  the  tip,  which  is  protected  by  a  large  and  broad  nail ;  the  nostrils  very  large,  rounded, 
and  pierced  in  the  cere,  which  covers  the  basal  portion  of  the  bill  to  near  the  nail.  Wings  rather  long, 
with  the  first  quill  short.  Tarsi  longer  than  the  middle  toe.  Toes  short,  and  united  by  an  indented 
web  ;  the  hind  toe  short  and  not  lobed. 
The  type  of  this  genus  is  peculiar  to  the  continent  of  Australia,  where  it  is  never  seen  on  water,  but  wanders 
about  the  grassy  declivities  and  the  shores,  in  search  of  grass,  on  which  it  principally  feeds. 
1.  C.  nova  hollandia  Lath.  PI.  col.  206.,  Jard.  &  Selby's  111.  Orn.  n.  s.  pi.  33.  —  Cereopsis  cinereus  Cuv.  ;  C.  australis  Swains.  ;  Anser 
griseus  Vieill. 
Anser  Barr.-f 
Bill  more  or  less  lengthened,  elevated  at  the  base  ;  the  culmen  sloping  to  the  tip,  which  is  furnished 
with  a  large  broad  nail ;  the  sides  compressed,  the  lateral  margins  of  both  mandibles  strong,  and  armed 
with  very  strong  and  widely  set  tooth-like  laminae  ;  the  margins  of  the  upper  mandible  arched  and 
angulated  at  the  base ;  the  nostrils  large,  with  the  opening  in  the  middle  of  the  bill,  and  longitudinal. 
Wings  long,  and  the  first  and  second  quills  the  longest.  Tail  short  and  rounded.  Tarsi  as  long  as  the 
middle  toe,  and  covered  with  reticulated  scales.  Toes  long,  and  united  by  an  indented  web,  the  lateral 
ones  unequal ;  and  the  claws  short  and  curved. 
These  birds  seek  the  higher  latitudes  during  the  summer  months  ;  and  as  the  winter  appears  they  return  to  the  warmer 
portions  of  Europe,  Asia,  and  America.  They  are  mostly  seen  in  the  meadows  and  marshes  of  the  interior,  where  they 
seek  their  food  of  grass  and  grain.    On  the  land  they  walk  with  facility,  and  are  very  buoyant  and  graceful  on  the 
*  Established  by  Latham  (1801),  in  his  Index  Ornithologicus,  Suppl.  lxvii. 
t  Established  by  Barrere  (1745),  in  his  Ornith.  Sp.  nov.  p.  lG.  ;  and  it  embraces  Chen  of  M.  Boie  (1822),  and  Cygnopsis  of  M.  Brandt 
(1836). 
