200 



A NATURE WOOING, 



the more retired creeks and lagoons by the senseless 

 warfare of shot-gun and rifle waged upon them from 



the decks of the river 

 steamers. In his 

 "Travels" Bartram 

 has noted its pres- 

 ence along the St. 

 John's in the follow- 

 ing language: "There 

 is in this river and in 

 the waters all over 

 Florida, a very curi- 

 ous and handsome 

 species of bird; the 

 people call them 

 Snake Birds ; I think I have seen paintings of them on 

 the Chinese screens and other India pictures. They 

 seem to be a species of cormorant or loon, but far 

 more beautiful and delicately formed than any other 

 species that I have ever seen. The head and neck of 

 this bird are extremely small and slender, the latter 

 very long, indeed, almost out of all proportion ; the 

 bill long, straight and slender, tapering from its ball 

 to a sharp point ; all the upper side, the abdomen and 

 thighs, are as black and glossy as a raven's, covered 

 with feathers so firm and elastic that they in some 

 degree resemble fish scales. The breast and upper 

 part of the belly are covered with feathers of a cream 



Fig. 61 Snake Bird. 



