8o 



CICONIIFORMES 



CHAP. 



white stripe on the sides of the head and a white border to the 

 gnlar sac; the ahnost identical F. melanogaster of the Indian 

 Region, extending to Celebes ; and F. levaillanti of the Ethiopian 

 p^egion described also from Antioch as F. chantrii which has 

 a nifous crown, buff throat, and chestnut greater wing-coverts. 



Darters cannot be classed as marine birds, 



though 



they 



Fig. 23, ludian Darter. Flotus mdauogaster. 



(From 2\'ah(re.) 



frequent inlets of the sea as well as lakes and rivers, where they 

 sun themselves with outspread wings on some stump, rock, tree, 

 or even tuft of rushes, while seldom admitting of a near approach. 

 When disturbed, they circle in the air with the neck drawn back 

 upon the shoulders, as do the Pelicans ; but the flight is laboured, 

 and they are much more at their ease in water, where they swim 

 very low, exposing only the head and neck, or even the bill, it 

 danger threatens, and having a very snake-like appearance, as they 



