30 



their wings even in chasing fish. Mr. Louis Agassiz Fuertes 

 says that Anhingas customarily use the wings as well as the 

 feet in swimming, but that they do not "fly" under water, but 

 employ the wings half open and loosely held as a sort of 

 sculling aid to speed and direction. But he says that he has 

 seen them do this only in tanks. Mr. Oliver P. Medsger and 

 others who have watched these birds in tanks corroborate this. 



On the other hand, we have a little evidence from the field. 

 Mr. Charles J. Pennock asserts that on September 26, 1914, 

 on the St. Marks River in Florida, he chased a Water-Turkey 

 that was wounded in the body, and saw it using wings two or 

 three times, when in shallow water, to hurry from the boat. 

 The motion of the wings was not rapid but frequent, and he 

 and his companion felt sure that both wings and feet were used 

 for propulsion. They followed the bird with a launch, and once 

 more saw it with the wings in motion under water. Mr. Harry 

 A. Cash, Providence, Rhode Island, says that while sailing in 

 a small boat down a salt-water river in Cuba he saw a Water- 

 Turkey come around a wooded point, and at sight of the boat 

 dive into the water. It passed the boat swimming under the 

 surface; "the wings were about half open and used with short, 

 quick, jerky strokes, the legs were held stiffly out behind." 

 The bird was not wounded or frightened by shooting. 



Mr. C. P. Ward, Bruce, Florida, states that he has seen the 

 Water-Turkey using its wings under water. They were about 

 half spread and were merely lifted, but were used in quick 

 strokes when turning. The feet also were used. 



Often I have followed Water-Turkeys in boats, but never 

 have been able to get near enough to see their mode of pro- 

 gression under the dark waters of southern rivers. Once I saw 

 a young bird half-grown and covered with light down spring 

 from its nest, dive into shallow water and swim away. It 

 could be seen plainly; its motion was frog-like, and its wings 

 somewhat extended, but as thirty-five years have elapsed since 

 then I cannot now make a positive statement regarding whether 

 or not the wings were used in propulsion. My recollection is 

 that they were not so used. 



From the foregoing we may deduce that, as hereinbefore 

 stated, birds in their under-water activities do not follow our 



