. Birds of America;. Birds -- North America. C)rder An seres "^l UT one family is included in this order; this, however, is divided into five subfamilies: Mergansers, River Ducks, Sea Ducks, Geese, and Swans. The general appearance and habits of this group are well known through their familiar representatives in barnyards and parks. There are about two hundred species scattered throughout all parts of the world; about fifty occur in North America. Economically they are among the most important of all birds. The name given to the order is descriptive of the bill which is characteristic of
. Birds of America;. Birds -- North America. C)rder An seres "^l UT one family is included in this order; this, however, is divided into five subfamilies: Mergansers, River Ducks, Sea Ducks, Geese, and Swans. The general appearance and habits of this group are well known through their familiar representatives in barnyards and parks. There are about two hundred species scattered throughout all parts of the world; about fifty occur in North America. Economically they are among the most important of all birds. The name given to the order is descriptive of the bill which is characteristic of all the members of the order except the Mergansers. This subfamily have round bills with saw-toothed edges, but the Ducks, Geese, and Swans have the bill flat and lamellate, or fitted along the edges with a series of flutings, with a membranous covering, and with a nail, or hard spot at the tip. Other characteristics of the LamcUirostral Swimmers are: tail generally short; wings moderately long; legs short and placed far apart, not so near the center of the body as in the Gulls and not so far back as in the Grebes; the knee joint buried in the general body covering and the thighs feathered nearly to the heel joint; toes four in number, hind toe free and elevated, front toes webbed; a peculiar waddling gait; neck usually long; plumage soft and dense, especially on the breast, with a copious covering of down. The nest is placed on the ground, or among rocks, or in the hollow of a tree or stump. The eggs are usually numerous, of an oval shape, and plain in color. The young are covered with down when hatched, and as soon as this natal down is dry they are able to leave the nest and follow the mother. There is a great variety of coloration among the birds of this order. With some species the female is the brighter, in others her dress is as plain as that of any Sparrow while the male is gaudily clad, and in other species there is no difference in coloration between the sexes. In som
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Keywords: ., bookauthorpearsont, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookyear1923
