168 



TOTI PALMATE SWIMMKRS — STEGANOPODES. 



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form, in bizp, mid in goni'ml coloration. The cliiof iliflon'm-e lu'tweon tlio mlult ninlcs of tlic two 

 RjM'cies consists in the possesision of ii white .strijje on the wide of the lieud in }'. UDvie-hulldmlin; 

 commencing near tiie rictus and extending bacjiwanl, growinj,' graihially narrower, and terminatiii',' 

 in a point on tiie upper part of tlie necii ; the guhir sac is liiiewise hordeiftl with a while line. 

 In 1'. anhinga tlie head is wiioily deep hlack, excepting, of course, the nui)tial plumes, which jiiv 

 present only during a portion of tlic lireeding-season. In tlie Australian l)iiil the front part of the 

 neck is light brownish, and the light-grayish markings of the wings narrower and less handsome. 



The " Snako liird," or '• l):irtor," is found occupying a son)cw]uit rostrictcd iirc:i 

 within the limits of the ruitcil States. It occurs in South Carolina and in all the 

 States bordering the (.lidf of Mexico, from (Jeorgia and Florida to the Kio (Jraiulc. 

 I am not aw.ire that it has , ver been seen on the l\acilic coast within the limits of 

 the United States, although it is found in Mexico and in Central Anu'rica, on the 

 Atlantic as well as on the Pacific coast. It also occurs in all the northern imrtiou.s 

 of South America, wherever there are rivers of considerable size. 



Mr. Dresser found it common on all the large streams of Texas, having obtained 

 specinuMis from Tort Stockton an(' from the Medina liivor. It is equally abundant 

 on all the rivers of Tamaulipas and the other Gulf regions of Eastern Rfexico, as 

 well as on the western side of that .!0untry. IMi'. Hischott" obtained examples of this 

 species near Mazatlan ; and Colonel (irayson ft)und it common on the fresh-v/atcr 

 lagoons, and on the Mazatlan and Santiago rivers. It was also seen in large immber.s 

 in the small river of Tepic. and on Lake Chapala, near CJuadalajara. In that region 

 it is a constant resident, and builds its nests ni trees n(>ar, or over, fresh-water 

 lagoons or streams. It is fouiul in lu'arly all the i)rincipal islands of the West, 

 Iiulies, although Mr. tiosse does iu)t iiudude it among the birds of .lamaica. It is 

 abinidant and a resident in Cuba, where Dr. (iiuidlach saw it breeding, and obtained 

 its eggs. Leotaud includes this species among the birds of Trinidad — where, however, 

 it is not very common, and where it keeps in the trees bordering the streams Avhicii 

 flow through the h)w swampy meadows. It lives princiiially upon lish, which it 

 seizes by rapidly darting upon them with its sharply ]tointed and slightly toot^ed 

 beak. In this movement its neck, which is very long, is thrust forward with the 

 force of a spring, aided by the muscles, that are large and well developed in the lower 

 and anterior portion of the neck. These muscles are said to be whiti', tender, and of 

 an agreeable flavor ; while those of the body are of a dark color, and have a disagree- 

 able taste. When lishing, the Anhinga stands with only its head and neck alwve the 

 water. When it niidtes a jtlnnge it remains a long while beneath the surface; and 

 when it rises again, the lung and "didating neck has somewhat the appearam-e of a 

 serpent, licotaud was tillable to M'. with certainty whether the Anhinga is or is 

 not a resident species in Trinidad, or whether it occurs there only in its migrations. 



This bird was ftmnd at Lake Peten, Honduras, b} Mr. Leylaiid ; and Mr. (i. (!. 

 Taylor met with several individuals of this species on the liake oi Vojoya, in the 

 same region. Mr. E. C. Taylor mentions seeing a number of them on the Orinoco. 

 He generally f(mntl i.iem perched on the stump of a tree overhanging the river, 

 ready iit tlu' shortest notit^e to plunge into the water. 



Mr. C. llarrington 1?' wii speaks of meeting with this bird in his descent of the 

 rarui:i lliver, in Hritish Guiana, where its local name is " Duckler." 



Mr. N. }\. Moore studied the movements of this species in Florida, and aseertained 

 that it does not fish exclusively in fresh water. He rejicated'y saw it diving in the 

 waters of a bay or creek between two oyster-bars, where the '.,ide ebbed and flowed 

 daily. He never knew it to fly with its wings directly extended, or with its neck 

 \tretched to its full length, but always with the m ck folded upon itself, as is tin' 



