rilH DAUTER.* 



These extraordinary birds arc well described by liulfou wlieu he says: — " The Anhiugii 

 offers us a reptile grafted on the body of a bii-d." Those who have seen the long neck of 

 a Darter, and that only isstn'ng horn the water, twisting about above the licrbagc and 

 among the foliage, say that it miglit easily be taken for a snake. Le Yaillaut states that 

 the neck of the species seen by him in Africa was always oscillating when the bird was 

 perched; and that any one wlio saw its tortuous movements among the foliage, tlic body 

 being concealed, would take it for one of the trec-sorpents. 



" Whether the darter," says Tcmminck, " l)e on its perch, or whether it be swimming 

 or flying, it is certain that tlie most strildng and remarkable part of its body is its long, 

 slender neck, which is continually in tremulous oscillation ; in flight alone it is unmoved 



* l'l()t\is Aiiliiiiy:ii. - l.iii 



