189 
CHAPTEE Xm. 
SWIMMING BIRDS ! GEESE THE DUCK-BILLED, NAEROW-BILLED, 
AND SHORT-BILLED GREY GEESE— THE WHITE-FRONTED, AND 
CANADA GEESE THE WHITE-FACED, BLACK-FACED, AND 
RED-NECKED BERNACLE GEESE THE EGYPTIAN FOX GOOSE, 
AND SPUR-WINGED GOOSE. 
rpHE feathered creatures which we have now to describe, 
X are those which are usually considered strictly 
aquatic birds, seeking their food, and passing much of their 
time amid the waters. They are the Natatores of some 
authors, the term coming from the Latin nato^ to swim, and 
comprise the sixth or last order of the class or Birds, in 
the arrangement of Cuvier. They are sometimes called Pal- 
mipedes^ in reference to their webbed feet, and are very 
commonly designated Water-fowl. With us, the members 
of this order are very numerous, our geographical position, 
great extent of coast, and varied character of country, tending 
to this result. Thus we find that they comprehend nearly 
one-third of the wdiole number of British species ; yet, 
from the circumstance of many of them being but winter 
visitants, and of others which are constantly resident, fre- 
quenting only wild and inaccessible places, their peculiar 
habits and appearance are less known to us than are those 
of any other kind. Macgillivray divides them into three 
orders, of which he gives the following characteristic 
sketch : — 
The difference of these three orders, as to habits as well as 
structure, is so obvious, that he who, residing on the seashore, and 
SIFTERS, DIVERS, AND PLUNGERS. 
