. Key to North American birds. Containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary, inclusive of Greenland and Lower California, with which are incorporated general ornithology: an outline of the structure and classification of birds; and field ornithology, a manual of collecting, preparing, and preserving birds . te to the sufirago; tarsi reticulate or scuteUate, or both; toes palmate, the hinder alwayspresent and free, simple or lobate. Wing occasionally spurred. Like the gallinaceous, the
. Key to North American birds. Containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary, inclusive of Greenland and Lower California, with which are incorporated general ornithology: an outline of the structure and classification of birds; and field ornithology, a manual of collecting, preparing, and preserving birds . te to the sufirago; tarsi reticulate or scuteUate, or both; toes palmate, the hinder alwayspresent and free, simple or lobate. Wing occasionally spurred. Like the gallinaceous, the anserine type is a familiar one, comprising all kinds of water-fowl, among which are the originals of all our domestic breeds of swans, geese, and ducks,that vie vnth poiiltry in point of economic consequence, ornament our parks, or furnish exquisitematerial for wearing apparel, as well as the filling of our pillows and couches. But additionalinformation respecting the structure of this, the largest and most important family of swimmingbirds, may be desirable. It is definitely characterized by many important points besides thoseexternal features just stated. In palatal structure, Anatida are desmognathous (fig. 78) ; thelacrymal region of the skuU is remarkably long [the lacrymal bone itself is large]. The rostrum has oval sessile basipterygoid facets. The flat and lamellar maxiUo-palatines. 680 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.—LAMELLIBOSTBES—ANSEBES. unite and form a bridge across the palate. The angle of the mandible is produced and greatly-recurved {Huxley). The interorbital septum is more or less completely ossified, and theorbits are better defined than in many birds, by well-developed lacrymal and post-frontal pro-cesses. The premaxillary is large, and its three prongs are so extensively fused that only aslight nasal aperture remains. Sometimes the top of the skull shows crescentio depressions forlodgment of the supraoibital gland, the secretion of which lubrica
Size: 1886px × 1324px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1896
