BIRDS-ANSERINAE. 
759 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Collected by— 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
9777? 
Pike lake. Minn_ 
1853. 
Gov. Stevens.... 
Dr. Suckley_ 
5476 
3 
Yellowstone river_ 
Aug. 27, 1856. 
Lieut. Warren_ 
Dr. Hayden_ 
58.50 
76. 00 
21 . 00 
9775 
Puget’s Sound_ 
A. Campbell_ 
Dr. Kennerly ... 
Sub-Family ANSERINAE. 
As already stated, the chief characters of the Anserinae are to he found in the elevated body, 
with the lengthened tibia and tarsus, fitting the species for a terrestrial life. They walk about 
much more than the other Anatidae, although equally able to swim. Their necks are shorter 
than those of the swans, hut decidedly longer than in the ducks. 
A common character, at least in most genera, is seen in the plates on the anterior portion of 
the tarsus, which, as in the swans, are small and hexagonal, becoming smaller behind. In the 
true ducks, the front of the tarsus is covered with transverse scutellae, the sides and behind, 
however, are reticulated. 
The bill is generally rather short, and higher than broad at the base, in this differing from 
most ducks ; it also tapers in most cases quite rapidly to the tip, which is constituted entirely 
by a large convex decurved nail. The foramen of the hill, in which the nostrils open, is very 
large, though mostly occupied by membrane. The tarsus is generally longer than the com¬ 
missure or the middle toe without its claw. The cheeks are densely feathered to the hill. 
The plumage is never very brilliant, white, black, and gray predominating. As in the 
swans, both sexes are colored alike, in this differing from the other Anatidae. 
I differ from most authors in placing Dendrocygna in the present sub-family, rather than 
with the Anatinae. Its characters are, indeed, so peculiar as almost to warrant its forming the 
type of a separate sub-family. In the elevated base of the hill, with the large nail at the 
extremity, and the lengthened legs, with the hexagonal scales in front of the tarsus, there is 
certainly a much closer relationship to the geese than to the ducks. 1 
The North American genera of the Anserinae , as defined chiefly by Iveyserling and Blasins, 
are as follows: 
Ansereae. —Bill tapering to the tip; as long as the head. Nostrils reaching about to the 
middle of the commissure. Tibia hare near the lower end only. 
Anser. —Bill as long as the head ; mostly red or orange colored. The lamellae of upper 
mandible project below the edge as conical points. Nostrils opening behind the 
middle of the commissure, the anterior edge only reaching to this point. Tip of 
hind toe reaching the ground. 
Bernicla. —Bill shorter than the head ; black. Lamellae of upper jaw hidden by the 
margin of hill. Nasal apertures lying over the middle of the commissure, their 
anterior edge reaching beyond this point. Hind toe elevated ; rudimentary ; not 
touching the ground. 
1 Bonaparte, indeed, in his last schedule of Anatidae , Comptes Rendus, XL1II, September, 1856, places Dendrocygna with 
Tadorna, Chenalopex, &c , in a section Tadorneae of Dlectropteridae. 
