THE ANHINGA OR SNAKE BIRD. 



(^ I HE Snake Bird is very singular 

 t I indeed in appearance, and in- 

 OJ I teresting as well in its habits. 

 Tropical and sub-tropical 

 America, north to the Carolinas and 

 Southern Illinois, where it is a regular 

 summer resident, are its known haunts. 

 Here it is recognized by different 

 names, as Water Turkey, Darter, and 

 Snake Bird. The last mentioned 

 seems to be the most appropriate name 

 for it, as the shape of its head and neck 

 at once suggest the serpent. In Flor- 

 ida it is called the Grecian Lady, at 

 the mouth of the Mississipi, Water 

 Crow, and in Louisiana, Bee a Lan- 

 cette. It often swims with the body 

 entirely under water, its head and long 

 neck in sight like some species of 

 water snakes, and has no doubt more 

 than once left the impression on the 

 mind of the superstitious sailor that 

 he has seen a veritable sea serpent, the 

 fear of which lead him to exaggerate 

 the size of it. 



This bird so strange in looks and 

 action is common in summer in the 

 South Atlantic and Gulf States, fre- 

 quenting the almost impenetrable 

 swamps, and is a constant resident of 

 Florida. 



As a diver the Snake Bird is the 

 most wonderful of all the Ducks. Like 

 the Loon it can disappear instantly 

 and noislessly, swim a long distance 

 and reappear almost in an opposite 

 direction to that in which naturally it 

 would be supposed to go. And the 

 ease with which, when alarmed, it will 

 drop from its perch and leave scarcely 

 a ripple on the surface of the water, 

 would appear incredible in so large a 

 bird, were it not a well known fact. 



It has also the curious habit of sinking 

 like a Grebe. 



The nests of the Anhinga are located 

 in various places, sometimes in low 

 bushes at a height from the ground of 

 only a few feet, or in the upper 

 branches of high trees, but always over 

 water. Though web footed, it is 

 strong enough to grasp tightly the 

 perch on which it nests. This gives 

 it a great advantage over the common 

 Duck which can nest only on the 

 ground. Sometimes Snake Birds breed 

 in colonies with various Species of 

 Herons. From three to five eggs, 

 bluish, or dark greenish white, are 

 usually found in the nest. 



Prof. F. C. Baker, secretary of the 

 Chicago Academy of Sciences, to whom 

 we are indebted for the specimen pre- 

 sented here, captured this bird at 

 Mi ceo, Brevard Co., Florida, in April, 

 1889. He says he found a peculiar 

 parasite in the brain ol the Arhinga. 



The Arhingas consist of but one 

 species, which has a representative in 

 the warmer parts of each of the great 

 divisions of the earth. The number 

 seen together varies from eight or ten 

 to several hundred. 



The hair-like feathers on the 

 neck form a sort of loose mane. 



When asleep the bird stands with 

 its body almost erect. In rainy 

 weather it often spends the greater 

 part of the day in an erect attitude, 

 with its neck and head stretched up- 

 ward, remaining perfectly motionless, 

 so that the water may glide off its 

 plumage. The fluted tail is very thick 

 and beautiful and serves as a propeller 

 as well as a rudder in swimming. 



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