British Birds in their Haunts Part 4

71. SULA (Gannet). Bill straight, longer than the head, compressed, tapering to a point, which is but slightly curved; face and throat naked; inner edge of the middle claw serrated; tail graduated.

_Page 168_

ORDER HERODIONES

Hallux free, not united to other toes by a web.

FAMILY ARDEIDae (HERONS)

Hind toe on same plane as others. Bill rounded or ridged; notched, with no hook at end. Outer toe with broad basal web, obsolete at base of inner toe; middle claw pectinated, loral s.p.a.ce bare; powder down patches present.

72. aRDEA (Herons). Edges of mandibles distinctly serrated; head crested; nape feathers elongated and ornamented; plumes of fore-neck not disintegrated; no dorsal train. _Page 173_

73. NYCTiCORAX (Night Heron). Bill scarcely longer than the head, much compressed; neck rather thick and short; crest of three very long tapering feathers. In other respects resembling ardea. _Page 173_

74. BOTAURUS (Bittern). Bill scarcely longer than the head, much compressed; neck thick, clothed in front with long and loose feathers. In other respects resembling ardea. _Page 173_

FAMILY CICONIIDae (STORKS)

Hind toe elevated above plane of others; no powder down patches; bill not hooked at tip.

75. CICoNIA (Stork). Bill much longer than the head, stout, tapering to a point; nostrils near the base, pierced in the h.o.r.n.y substance of the bill; tarsi very long; claws not pectinated; wings moderate, third, fourth, and fifth primaries longest. _Page 175_

FAMILY PLATALEIDae (SPOONBILLS)

Bill flattened, narrow in middle, and widening out into a spoon-shaped end.

76. PLATALeA (Spoonbill). Head partly bare, auricular orifice covered with plumes. Nostrils elongated and in a shallow depression.

_Page 176_

ORDER ANSERES

Tarsus about length of femur, reticulate at back and generally in front. Bill straight, always with distinct nail at tip of upper mandible. Young covered with down, and able to run or swim in a few hours after hatching.

FAMILY ANATIDae (DUCKS, GEESE, SWANS, ETC.)

Bill thick, broad, high at the base, covered with a thin membranous skin and ending in a nail-like h.o.r.n.y tip; edges of the mandibles cut into thin parallel ridges, or toothed; wings moderate; legs placed not very far behind; feet, four-toed, palmated; hind toe free, placed high on the tarsus. Food, gra.s.s and aquatic weeds, worms, insects, molluscs, and small fish.

_SUB-FAMILY ANSERINae_

77. ANSER (Geese). Bill nearly long as head, elevated and covered with cere or skin at base; conspicuous nail at tip; under mandible smaller than upper; nostrils lateral, near middle of bill; tail of sixteen feathers; legs under centre of body; hind toe free, articulated upon tarsus. _Page 176_

78. BERNICLA (Brent and Bernicle Geese). Bill shorter than head, higher than broad at base; culmen slightly convex, outline of lower mandible decidedly so, leaving elliptical s.p.a.ce displaying lamellae; nostrils sub-basal; neck feathers less furrowed than in Anser_; tail short, rounded; tibia feathered to joint; hind toe short and elevated. _Page 180_

79. CYGNUS (Swans). Bill of equal length throughout, furnished with k.n.o.b at base; nostrils medial; legs short; neck exceedingly long.

_Page 181_

_SUB-FAMILY ANATIDae_

Bill of equal width throughout, or broader at the top than at the base, of about the same width as the head; legs short, placed rather behind the middle of the body; hind toe without a pendent membrane; tarsi somewhat round.

80. TADORNA (Sheldrake). Bill with an elevated tubercle at the base, depressed in the middle; nostrils large, pervious; lower portion of tarsus in front with a row of transverse scutellae. _Page 184_

81. ANAS (Mallard, Gadwall). Bill long as head, broad, depressed, sides parallel, sometimes partially dilated, both mandibles with transverse lamellae on inner edges; nostrils small, oval, lateral, anterior to base of bill; wings rather long, pointed; tail wedge-shaped; legs rather short; hind toe without lobe. s.e.xes differ in plumage. _Page 185_

82. SPATULA (Shoveller). Bill much longer than head, widening towards end, lamellae projecting conspicuously; no soft membrane on sides of bill towards tip; wing pointed, first and second quills longest; tail short, graduated; legs very short. _Page 189_

83. DAFILA (Pintail). Bill long as head, edges nearly parallel, widening a little to end, lamellae not strongly defined; neck long, slender; tail sharply pointed, central rectrices considerably elongated in male; margin of web to anterior toes slightly emarginate. _Page 190_

84. QUERQUeDULA (Teal). Bill long as head, lamellae exposed along projecting edge of upper mandible; tail of sixteen feathers, short and rounded; hind toe very small, outer shorter than third, centre rather long; interdigital membrane emarginate. _Page 191_

85. MAReCA (Wigeon). Bill shorter than head, higher than broad at base, depressed and narrowed towards point; tail short, pointed; tibia bare for short distance; hind toe with very narrow lobe.

_Page 192_

_SUB-FAMILY FULIGULINae_

Hind toe with lobated membrane; tarsi compressed.

86. FULiGULA (Pochard, Tufted Duck, Scaup). Bill not longer than head, slightly elevated at base, broader towards tip; edges of upper mandible enclosing edges of lower; nostrils near base. _Page 193_

87. CLANGuLA (Goldeneye). Bill much shorter than head, depressed towards nail, which is elliptical and decurved at tip; lamellae hidden; nostrils near middle of bill. _Page 195_

88. HARELDA (Long-tailed Duck). Bill much shorter than head, tapering rapidly to broad, decurved nail at tip. Lamellae slightly exposed; nostrils sub-basal. Feathering at base of bill forming oblique line, advancing furthest forward on forehead. Wings rather short, pointed; scapulars elongate and lanceolate in adult male; tail short, graduated except for two central feathers, which are long and tapering in adult male. _Page 196_

89. SOMATERIA (Eider Duck). Bill swollen and elevated at base, extending up the forehead, there divided by angular projection of feathers; nostrils medial. _Page 197_

90. OEDEMIA (Scoters). Bill short, broad, with an elevated k.n.o.b at the base, the tip much flattened; nail large, flat, obtuse, slightly deflected; lamellae coa.r.s.e, widely set; nostrils oval, medial; tail short, graduated, acute. _Page 199_

_SUB-FAMILY MERGANINae_

91. MERGUS (Smew, Merganser, Goosander). Bill straight, slender, narrow, approaching to cylindrical; upper mandible hooked; edges of both mandibles armed with sharp teeth directed backwards; legs short, placed far backward. _Page 201_