WONDERS OF GEESE AND SWANS

Aside from some introductory matter on behavior and physical characteristics as well as a brief discussion of the hazards to wildfowl populations, both from disease and man's destruction of natural habitats, Fegely concentrates on introducing individual species and sub-species. These classification problems can be instructive--the blue goose and lesser snow goose were long thought to be different birds until scientists recognized them as color phases of the same species in 1973. However, relatively few youngsters will be much concerned with the specialized problem of distinguishing among the various races of Canada Goose, and Fegely's preoccupation with this, in addition to the flatly routine manner of presenting successive paragraphs with headings such as ""bill structure,"" ""hybrids,"" ""longevity,"" and so on will limit this survey's appeal to those with an ornithologist's interest in identification and distribution. For a more stimulating gander at the goose world, see Jack Denton Scott (below).