338 Synopsis of the Birds 



a year, but do not change their colors. Plumage thick and 

 close, impermeable. Colors blackish. 



Aquatic. Live in fresh as well as salt water, but always 

 near the shore. Among the best of swimmers and divers ; 

 swim on the surface, or beneath, quite as well and better 

 than many of the web-footed tribes, keeping longer under 

 water than most of them. Nocturnal: old birds never seen 

 in day time: young less shy, playful, easily approached, fix- 

 ing the gunner, and by diving at the flash, avoid the shot ; 

 diving also for their food. Feed on small fishes, insects, 

 mollusca, aquatic plants. Copulate in the water: breed in 

 marshes, among the grass ; nest large, composed of aquatic 

 weeds; eggs numerous, large; both sexes incubate, and 

 take care of the young: young taking the water as soon as 

 hatched. Walk with difficulty, and hardly ever but from one 

 pond to another, taking wing if the distance is at all con- 

 siderable. Rise on the water, spreading the wings, flutter- 

 ing and running along the surface. Seldom seen on the 

 ground, where they are so awkward as to suffer themselves 

 to be caught. Take wing with difficulty, and during day 

 time, only in great emergencies, even in preference burrow- 

 ing into the mud. Flight when raised, rapid. Flesh black, 

 unpalatable. 



Spread all over the world. Species few ; one in Europe; 

 one closely allied in North America ; one in Africa, two or 

 three in South America. Nearly related to Gallinula, cer- 

 tainly of this family : artificially, but most unnaturally, united 

 to any other bird. 



276. Fulica Americana, Gm. Slate color, under tail coverts 

 and exterior lining of the wings pure white ; tail of fourteen 

 feathers. 



Adult, head and neck deep black ; membrane white.* 



* As soon as the bird is dead, the membrane becomes tinged with reddish 

 or dark chesnut in the European, as well as the American species. 



