Family XXXIX. ANATINAE. DUCKS. GENUS III. CYGNUS, Meyer. SWAN
Bill longer than the head, higher than broad at the base,
depressed, and a little widened toward the end, rounded; upper
mandible with the dorsal line sloping, the ridge very broad at
the base, with a large depression; narrowed between the
nostrils, convex toward the end, the sides nearly erect at the
base, gradually becoming more horizontal and convex toward the
end, the sides soft and thin, with numerous transverse little
elevated internal lamellae, the unguis obovate; nasal groove
elliptical, sub-basal, covered by the soft membrane of the bill;
lower mandible flattened, with the angle very long, and rather
narrow, the sides convex, the edges with numerous transverse
lamellae. Nostrils submedial, longitudinal, placed near the
ridge, elliptical. Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed;
neck extremely long and slender; body very large, compact,
depressed. Feet short, stout, placed a little behind the centre
of the body; tibia bare for a very smal