PELICANS 235 



black feathers, and the tail consists of twelve feathers. 

 Length, about 2 feet. 



It is almost as often met with on inland waters as on the 

 coast, being found on most of the rivers. It swims low in 

 the water, only the top of the back, head and neck being 

 visible. Layard found it breeding in large numbers on the 

 Berg River in September, W. Sclater on Dassen Island in 

 July, so that its breeding season appears to be irregular. 

 The eggs are similar to those of the previous species, but are 

 smaller, and the nest is either placed on a rock or in a tree 

 or bush. Like its congeners, it is a swift, strong flyer. 



The Snake-bird (Anhinga rufa) has the back of the head, 

 neck and upper back dark brown, speckled with dark reddish 

 and black, the lower back, wings and tail black ; sides of 

 the head and neck adorned with a white stripe and a black 

 band ; lower part of neck and underparts black. It has a 

 straight, slender bill and a long, snake-like neck, which gave 

 to the bird its trivial name. The feet are fully webbed. 

 Length, 31 inches. 



It is found along most of the larger rivers, but is nowhere 

 exactly common. It feeds almost exclusively on fish. It 

 is a great diver, and usually swims very low in the water, 

 only the head and long neck being visible. Layard and 

 Dr. Stark found the Darter (as this bird is also called) breed- 

 ing on the Berg River in the Cape Province, and the latter 

 describes the nest as a bundle of sticks situated in a willow- 

 tree. The clutch varies from three to rive and the eggs are 

 elongated and shiny-white, with the Cormorant-like under- 

 lying bluish layer. 



PELICANS 



The Eastern White Pelican (Pelecanus roseus) is of a 

 general white colour, tinged with rose- pink, a shoulder 



