144 
ANSERINE. 
oesophagus narrow ; stomach an extremely muscular giz- 
zard* with a dense epithelium, having two grinding plates ; 
intestine long, rather wide, with two long, moderately 
wide coeca. Trachea in the females uniform, hut in the 
males with diversiform enlargements at its lower extre- 
mity ; the contractor muscles, which are large, give off 
two slips to the clavicles, and end in two others which go 
to the sternum, there being no inferior laryngeal muscles. 
Eyes and apertures of ears generally small. Feathers 
ovate or oblong, curved ; wings convex ; tail short. Feet 
with four toes, the anterior rather long and webbed, the 
hind toe small and free ; claws generally small. 
Birds of this order occur in all parts of the globe. 
Among the Swimming Birds they are apparently analo- 
gous to the Radrices among the land birds, send next to 
them they are the most directly useful to man. They j 
feed on vegetable substances, but some also on fishes, and 
many on mollusca and insects. The nest is rude, and 
usually placed on the ground ; the eggs numerous, and 
white or light-coloured, without spots. The young, j 
covered with stifhsh down, are able to run, swim, and 
dive, immediately after exclusion, and are led about 
by their mother, who evinces the greatest anxiety for j 
their safety. Of the species, which are very numerous, j 
forty have been met with in Britain. The males are 
always larger than the females. 
FAMILY XLI. ANSERIN2E. ANSERINE N ! 
BIRDS, OR GEESE. 
These are the largest birds of the order. They have 
the body ovate or elliptical, very large and full, of nearly 
equal height and breadth ; the neck long, and rather 
