349 
CHAPTER XYI. 
Palmipedes ; Web-footed. — Serrated or Tooth-billed. — Geese ; 
Flocks of — How managed — Plucking — Singular attachment 
— Sagacity — Courage of. — Tree-geese. — Swans ; Muscular 
strength — Courage. — Black Swans. — Trade in Swan-quills. 
Table XXYI. (See p. 21.) 
Order 6 . Palmipedes ( Web-footed.) Tribe 1 . Serrirostres, 
(or Tooth-billed.) Table XXYII. 
We now come to the last order, consisting of those birds 
which are evidently calculated for swimming ; having their 
toes connected with a web, extending nearly to the nails. 
There are, however, some few not classed here, although 
they are undoubtedly web-footed, — for instance, the Avosets 
and Flamingoes ; but these, as has been already noticed, are 
not swimmers, their webs being of use only in supporting 
them as they tread lightly over marshy grounds. The first 
genus is that of the Anas, comprising Geese and Ducks, 
whose beaks all, more or less, partake of the toothed or 
serrated character, represented in the plate of the Shoveller- 
Duck’s bill (page 30), for the obvious purpose of feeding in 
the manner there mentioned. 
Notwithstanding certain points of resemblance, connecting 
Swans, Geese, and Ducks under one head, there are, never- 
theless, some peculiarities in each, fully justifying the various 
subdivisions adopted by modern naturalists ; by whom they 
have been, accordingly, separated into four sections, — Geese, 
Swans, and Ducks of two sorts, — one of which has the hind- 
toe furnished with a loose membrane ; these latter chiefly 
frequent sea- shores or salt-marshes. 
At the head of this list stands the Goose, and with 
reason, considering how valuable a bird it is, and how many 
benefits we derive from it in divers ways. Those who live 
in the fen countries of Lincolnshire look to the produce of 
