The pelicans are large, long-winged, short-legged water-birds with enormous bill and large gular sac which is used as a dip-net to catch fish. There are three species in North America, the white pelican (_Pelecanus erythrorhynchus_) occurring over most of the United States, the brown pelican (_P. fuscus_) of the Gulf of Mexico, and the California brown pelican (_P. californicus_) of the Pacific coast. An interesting member of this order is the famous frigate or man-of-war bird (_Fregata aquila_), with very long wings and tail and feet extraordinarily small. The frigates have the greatest command of wing of all the birds. They cannot dive and can scarcely swim or walk. =The ducks, geese, and swans (Anseres).=--The familiar wild ducks, of which there are forty species in North American fresh and salt waters; the geese, of which there are sixteen species, and the three species of wild swans constitute the order Anseres. The bill in these birds is more or less flattened and is also lamellate, i.e. furnished along each cutting-edge with a regular series of tooth-like processes; the feet are webbed, and the body is heavy and flattened beneath. Of the fresh-water or inland ducks, the more familiar are the mallard (_Anas boschas_), a large duck with head (male) and upper neck rich glossy green; the blue-winged teal (_Querquedula discors_) and green-winged teal (_Nettion carolinense_); the shoveller (_Spatula clypeata_) with spoon-shaped bill; the beautiful crested wood-duck (_Aix sponsa_); the expert diver, the plump little ruddy duck (_Erismatura rubida_), and others. Of the coastwise ducks, the canvas-back (_Aythya vallisneria_) is famous because of its fine flavor, while among the strictly maritime ducks the eiders (_Somateria_), which live in Arctic regions, are well known for their fine down. Of the geese, the commonest is the well-known Canada goose (_Branta canadensis_), while the pure-white snow-goose (_Chen hyperborea_), with black wing-feathers and red bill, is not unfamiliar. The wild swans (_Olor_) are the largest birds of the order, and are less familiar than the ducks and geese.