OF THE UNITED STATES 201 



them, in so far as external appearances go, by its long and ex- 

 tremely slender neck and beak; its trimmer body, and more elon- 

 gated tail. Either the male or female is a bird of beautiful plu- 

 mage, particularly during the breeding season, as different as 

 they are in this respect. A male at this time is largely clothed 

 in black feathers, exhibiting a greenish gloss. Its eyes are 

 bright crimson, while the naked skin around them is green ,~and 

 of the throat, orange. A white stripe runs down either side of 

 the neck, showing lilac reflections. White markings occur upon 

 the long feathers of the shoulders and the lesser coverts of the 

 wings. The wings and tail are black, the latter being tipped 

 with reddish brown. In the female the head, neck, and pectorial 

 region is of a buffy color, a reddish tinted band limiting the lat- 

 ter below. These birds have the habit of perching upon the out- 

 standing and dead limbs of trees overhanging the pools of their 

 habitat. From these points of observance they watch for their 

 finny prey in the waters beneath, and by rapidly darting down 

 upon it, plunging beneath the surface, secure the same with their 

 dagger-like beaks. Upon coming into view again, nothing is 

 seen save the snake-like upper parts of the Anhinga, stealthily 

 making off with its capture. Hence the popular name of the 

 species. Under water, its powers of swimming are simply un- 

 rivaled, being able to capture a fish, however agile the latter may 

 be, and in these subaqueous excursions it exhibits the most re- 

 markable maneuvers, spreading its tail and shooting about in a 

 manner most extraordinary. None of the smaller fishes upon 

 which it feeds can escape the attacks of this consummate fisher- 

 man. It exhibits even these qualities in captivity, " taking 

 apparently without effort fish after fish," as Newton remarks, 

 " that may be introduced into its tank, however rapidly they may 

 swim and twist, and only returning to its perch when its vora- 

 cious appetite is for the moment appeased or its supply of food 

 temporarily exhausted." 



These birds lay four eggs in a large, bulky nest, placed in a 

 tree, and usually overhanging the water. 



Cormorants of one species or another are found upon all the 

 coasts of the United States, her offlying islands, and on the great 

 lakes and largest rivers. In many of these places they are like- 

 wise known as Shags, which by many people they are popularly 

 called. They, as in the case of Anhinga, are also most voracious 

 fishermen, and are, too, extremely expert swimmers beneath the 



