flooded forest. The reed-grown edges of the reservoir and 

 the numberless floating islands of green, water-nourished 

 plants are their chosen hunting-grounds; and there, a little 

 later in the season, hundreds of tiny downy Gallinules will 

 take their first look at the great watery world which is to be 

 their future home. The Coots breed further northward, 

 apparently preferring a cooler climate in which to rear their 

 young. Nevertheless, as late as April 20th, they were still 

 abundant in the reservoir, even more numerous, I think, than 

 their red-billed kinsmen; and it is hard to believe that, two 

 weeks later, the last Coot will, in all probability, have de- 

 parted. 



In the flooded timber about the upper reaches of the 

 reservoir, we saw on April 13th, for the first time, that fan- 

 tastic inhabitant of deep, gloomy swamp-lands, the Snake 

 Bird or Anhinga. Paddling silently in and out among the 

 tree-trunks, pulling the punt along by means of overhang- 

 ing branches or protruding "snags", we managed several 

 times to approach within range of the Anhingas as they 

 perched in silence in the tops of the tall dead trees, preening 

 their feathers and twisting their long necks from side to 

 side. Never was a bird more appropriately named. The 

 Snake Bird's slender neck is as long and sinuous as the body 

 of a snake: and, when one sees the bird on the wing, the 

 appropriateness of its local name. Water Turkey, is instantly 

 apparent, the bird's manner of flight suggesting immediately 

 that of the Wild Turkey. Although they kept, for the most 

 part, to the tops of the tall trees, the Anhingas were by no 

 means shy when we paid them our first visit on April 13th. 

 We were anxious to secure a female for the Museum and 

 fired several times, though without result. Twice, after a 

 shot, the birds circled around quite near the boat, and al- 

 most always, after being startled, they flew only a short 

 distance and alit again in plain view, their appearance, as 

 they perched in the tall leafless trees, being fantastic in the 



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