Order IV. TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS. 



STEGANOPODES. 



Family 1. TROPIC BIRDS. Pha'ethontid^. 2 species. 



Family 2. GANNETS. Sulid.*:. 6 species. 



Family 3. DARTERS. Anhingid^e. 1 species. 



Family 4. CORMORANTS. Phalacrocoracid/E. 6 species, 5 

 subspecies. 



Family 5. PELICANS. Pelecanhxe. 3 species. 



Family 6. MAN-O'-WAR-BIRDS. Fregatid.e. 1 Species. 



The members of this Order agree in having all four toes connected 

 by webs, but in other respects they differ widely in structure and, con- 

 sequently, in habit. The young of all the Steganopodes are born 

 naked, unlike the young of most of the other water birds, which, as a 

 rule, are hatched covered with' feathers and can swim or run about soon 

 after birth. The nests of the Steganopodes are, of necessity, therefore, 

 more complex structures than those of birds whose nests are merely 

 incubators and not cradles as well. 



Tropic Birds resemble the larger Terns, when in the air, but their 

 wing strokes are more rapid. They usually nest in holes in the face of 

 cliffs, and lay one whitish egg, marked with chocolate. 



Gannets are true sea birds, but, as a rule, do not live very far from 

 the land. When breeding, Gannets are usually associated in great 

 numbers. Their nests, as a rule, are placed on the ground or on cliffs, 

 and one or two chalky white eggs are laid. At this season the birds 

 are exceedingly tame and in localties where they have not been much 

 molested, one may walk about among the sitting birds without their 

 taking flight. Gannets are powerful birds on the wing. Their vigor- 

 ous wing strokes are interrupted at intervals by short sails. They feed 

 on fish which they capture by diving from the air. 



The Darters or Anhingas number four species, distributed through- 

 out the tropical parts of the globe, only one species inhabiting America. 

 This is generally called the Snakebird or Water Turkey in Florida, 

 where it is a common species on the more isolated rivers and lakes. 



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