8o 



CICONIIFORMES 



CHAP. 



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

 gular sac ; the almost identical P. melanogaster of the Indian 

 Eegion, extending to Celebes ; and P. levaillanti of the Ethiopian 

 Eegion described also from Antioch as P. chantrii which has 

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

 Darters cannot be classed as marine birds, though they 



FIG. 23. Indian Darter. Plotus melanogaster. 



(From Nature.} 



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 merely the bill, if 

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



