File:The genera of birds (19322032542).jpg

Order \ ITT AXSERES.
Family I. Anatid^e.
The fourth Subfamily,
CYGNINiE, or Swans,
have the Bill nearly the length of the head, higher at the base than broad, and covered with a soft Cere,
which in most extends to each eye, the breadth of the bill uniform throughout ; the Tarsi moderate, and
the Toes lengthened, with the anterior ones united by a full web ; the hind Toe short, and not margined
with a membranous lobe ; the neck very long.
Cygnus Linn.*
Bill nearly the length of the head, of equal breadth throughout, and much higher than broad at the
base, which is covered with a soft fleshy cere that extends in a point to the eye on each side ; the apical
portion depressed, and armed at the tip with a large nail ; the nostrils more or less in the middle of the
bill, rather oblique and oval. Wings moderate, with the second and third quills equal and longest. Tail
short and rounded. Tarsi a little shorter than the middle toe, and compressed. Toes lengthened, the
anterior ones united by a full web, and the hind toe short, and without any marginal lobe.
These graceful birds are principally distributed in the northern latitudes of Europe, Asia, and America. They
appear, however, in the more genial portions of these three continents during extreme winters, and there are species
peculiar to the southern parts of South America. They live on the lakes and rivers, in small parties of from five to
thirty individuals. Various parts of acpiatic plants form their chief food ; in seeking for which they have the power of
submerging their heads for some depth below the surface of the water, where they can retain them for a considerable
time. Their nest is formed of a heap of dry vegetable matter ; and the female lays from five to seven eggs.
1. C. Olor (GmeL) Illiger, PI. enl. 913. — Cygnus sibilus Pall.;
Cygnus gibbus Bechst. ; Cygnus mansuetus Rat).
2. C. immutabilis Yarr. Brit. Birds, iii. p. 131. fig. of head.
3. C. nigrico/lis (GmeL) Steph. GrifF. An. Kingd. Birds, pi. —
Anas melanocorypha Molin. ; Anas melanocephala Gmel.
4. C.ferus Ray. — Anas Cygnus Linn.; Cygnus Olor Pall.;
Cygnus melanorhynchus Meyer ; Cygnus xantliorhinus Naum. ;
Cygnus musicus Bechst. ; Type of Olor Wuyl. (1832).
5. C. minor Pall. Jard. & Selby's 111. Orn. pi. 95. — Cygnus
Bevvickii Yarrett ; Cygnus musicus Fab. ? Cygnus islandicus
Brehm ; Cygnus melanorhinus Naum.
6. C. amerieanus Sharpless, Audub. Birds of Amer. pi. 406.
— Cygnus Bewickii Sw. Faun. Bor. Anier. 465. ; C. musicus Pr.
Bonap.
7. C buccinator Rich. Faun. Bor. Amer. 464., Audub. Birds of
Amer. pi. 376.
8. C. coscoroba (Mol.) Molina Chili, p. 213. — Cygnus anatoi'des
King ; Anas chionis Illiger.
9. C. atrata (Lath.) Vieill. Gal. des Ois. t. 286. — Anas plutonia
Shaw, Nat. Misc. pi. 108.; Anser Novae Hollandia; Bonn. Labill.
Voy. t. 9. ; Type of Chenopis Wagl. (1832).

• Linnaeus used this name in his Systema Naturae, of 1735. The genus includes Olor and Chenopis Wagler, Isis (1832).