DARTERS—Family Anhingde 
ANHINGA; SNAKE BIRD 
118. Anhinga anhinga. 35 in. 
Adult male with a glessy greenish-black head, neck 
and underparts, the neck being covered behind, in breed- 
ing season, with numerous filamentous, whitish plumes. 
Female and young with neck and breast fawn color in 
front. Eyes red, face greenish and gular pouch orange. 
Middle tail feathers curiously crimped. These peculiar 
birds spend their lives within the recesses of swamps, 
the more dismal and impenetrable, the better. They 
perch on limbs overhanging the water and dive after 
fish, frogs, lizards, ete., that pass beneath, from which 
they get one of their names, American Darter. They 
swim with the body submerged, with only their serpent- 
like head and neck visible; hence they are called Snake- 
birds. 
Nest.—Of sticks and leaves in bushes or trees over 
water, large colonies of them nesting in the same swamp. 
The 3 to 5 eggs are bluish, covered, with a chalky de- 
posit (2.25 x 1.35). 
Range.—Breeds north to the Carolinas and J1l. Win- 
ters in Gulf States. 
