92 THE NATURAL HISTORY 
Pie body is fat, the {kin is tough, the feathers 
are excellent, becaufe they are more ufeful than 
thofe of any other order of birds; the flefh is 
‘ rather rank. 
_ They feed in the water upon plants and fith. 
The neft, in many fpecies, is built upon the 
ground. 
" The mother feldom bond: the young. 
In many inftances, they do not keep together 
in pairs. 
The Anas Genus,.that is to fay, the Swans, 
~Geefe and Ducks have a denticulated bill; that is’ 
a bill, the fides of which are toothed like a faw; but 
the teeth are membranous, or likea {kin ; 3 and the ~ 
beak has a nail at’the-end. 
The beak of the Mergus, or Goofander, has a 
nail, and it is denticulated; but the teeth are very 
fharp and flender. 
The Phaeton Genus, or the Tropic Bird, has.a 
cultrated bill like the Pics, but denticulated. 
The Plotus, or Darter, has a flender bill denti-« 
culated. 
The Rhyncops, or Cut-Water, has a {trong 
bill, not denticulated, the upper mandible the 
‘fhorteft. 
Tre 

