188 
ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 
and the Pelicanidte. No great stress, after all, must be 
laid upon the rigid tail of the latter, because we find 
precisely the same character in the genus CA«ttti-a, which 
IS one of the most obvious fissirostral types. We were 
finally convinced, however, of the analogy of the 
Pelicanida ta the Fkslrostres, by a circumstance appa- 
rently trivial in itself, but which, when viewed in 
reference to this intricate question, becomes one of high 
importance. According to some observations which have 
been recently communicated to us*, the cormorant, after 
catching a fish, is frequently, if not always, in the habit 
of throwing it up in the air and catching it in its fall 1 
just in tlie manner of the toucans and the hornbills. 
This unlooked-for and extraordinary demonstration of the 
fissirostral type appears to us perfectly conclusive, and 
supersedes aU necessity for prosecuting this inquiry 
further. ■' 
(208.) The Anatid.*:, or ducks, constitute the first 
family of the natatorial circle, after quitting that of the 
waders. It includes a very natural, and for the most 
part a very strongly marked, group j wherein we have 
the freshwater and marine ducks, the geese and swans, 
the mergansere, and finally the flamingos. All these 
are easily distinguished by their short, thick, and gene- 
rally broad bUls, the sides of which are furnished with 
nexible, lamellar, transverse plates or ridges, which appear 
analogous to teeth, while the tongue is very large and 
fleshy. As it is unnecessary to dwell upon the general 
characters of birds so well known to ordinary observers, 
we may at once proceed to a slight glance at the primary 
divisions above intimated, viz. — 1. The Anatince, or 
river ducks ; 2. The Fuligulirue, or sea ducks ; 3. The 
Merganinm, or mergansers ; 4. The Phmnieoptinie, or 
flamingos; and, 5. The Anserina, or geese. Each of 
these appear to hold the rank of subfamUies, for although 
some contain but few forms, others — especially the two 
• This hat been repeatedly witnessed by one of inv sisters who at a 
E"„t',hrnf “ ‘h'^heshiree^St! w^ v’ery fond of 
of Hiibu^ Island cormorants, as they fished on tL rocks 
