Oedee— ANSEKIFOEMES. 
The birds constituting this Order comprise a homogeneous assemblage of 
swimming birds with webbed feet, peculiar, usually broad, more or less 
flattened biUs, provided with lamellae on the edges of the mandibles and a 
more or less prominent nail. They vary in size from very large birds with 
very long necks to rather small birds with short necks, but are always 
recognisable as referable to this Order at first sight. Every gradation between 
these extremes seems to persist so that a good scheme of classification is 
difficult to produce. Scarcely two birds exactly agree as to structural details 
and similar schemes of coloration, so that almost every bird has at some 
time or other been given a generic name. In a few cases the coloration 
has been retained, though great variation in the hard parts has taken 
place, while in others, birds showing opposite styles of coloration seem 
to possess the same structural characters. 
Sundevall in the Tentamm^ 1873 (c/. Nicholson’s Translation^ 1889, 
p. 239), neatly summarised the position thus : “ The six divisions here put 
forward, marked a-/, if one looks at the typical genera, are very distinct, 
and differ not less than the families of the CicJilomorphcB or Mellisugce, 
but they scarcely differ at all in general aspect, and on all sides are 
connected by intermediate genera : wherefore in the order of Swimming- 
birds, where the families are generally to be distinguished by weU-defined 
characters, these seem rather to be united into one family. But their form, 
in this cohort so much and so conspicuously varies, if we try to divide 
them up, not only facilitates a division into many genera, but almost 
renders it a necessitv.” 
To emphasise this point, Sundevall calls his groups a-f Sub\^amily as 
well as generic names, thus, “ Anserince or the genus A?^ser,” and indicates 
the divisions which should be considered as Genera or Subgenera. 
In view of recent attempts at the classification of these bhds, 
Sundevall’s comments in a few cases may be noted. Thus of Spatula he 
wrote : “ With the bill much longer than the head, more widened towards 
the tip. Otherwise the species are formed and coloured like the true Ducks, 
from which they are scarcely separable.” Of Cosmonetta {—Histrionicus ) : 
“ Entirely of the form of the following, {Clangula) except for the larger 
dertrum, the slightly longer tail, which is pointed, and the smoother head. 
A genus distinct more on account of its colour than its form.” These 
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