148 ANHINGA OR SNAKE-BIRD. 
two inches and five-eighths in length, by one and a quarter in diame- 
ter, and are of an elongated oval form, of a dull uniform whitish colour 
externally, being covered with a chalky substance, beneath which the 
shell, on being carefully scraped, is of a light blue, precisely resembling 
in this respect the eggs of the different species of American Cormo- 
rants with which I am acquainted. 
The young when about a fortnight old are clad with a uniform 
buff-coloured down ; their bill is black, their feet yellowish-white, their 
head and neck nearly naked; and now they resemble young Cormorants, 
though of a different colour. The wing feathers make their appear- 
ance through the down, and are dark brown. The birds in the same nest 
differ as much in size as those of Cormorants, the largest being almost 
twice the size of the smallest. At this age they are in the habit of raising 
themselves by placing their bills on the upper part of the nest, or over 
a branch if convenient, and drawing themselves up by their jaws, which 
on such occasions they open very widely. This habit is continued by 
young birds whilst in confinement, and was also observed in the Cor- 
morant, Phalacrocoraz Carbo, the young of which assisted themselves 
with their bills while crawling about on the deck of the Ripley. The 
action is indeed performed by the Anhinga at all periods of its life. 
At an early age the young utter a low wheezing call, and at times some 
cries resembling those of the young of the smaller species of Herons. 
From birth they are fed by regurgitation, which one might suppose an 
irksome task to the parent birds, as during the act they open their 
wings and raise their tails. I have not been able to ascertain the pe- 
riod of incubation, but am sure that the male and the female sit alter- 
nately, the latter however remaining much longer on the nest. Young 
Anhingas when approached while in the nest cling tenaciously to it, 
until seized, and if thrown down, they merely float on the water, and 
are easily captured. On the contrary, the young Florida Cormorants 
throw themselves into the water, and dive at once. 
When they are three weeks old, the quills and tail-feathers grow 
rapidly, but continue of the same dark-brown colour, and so remain 
until they are able to fly, when they leave the nest, although they still 
present a singular motley appearance, the breast and back being buff- 
coloured, while the wings and tail are nearly black. After the feathers 
of the wings and tail are nearly fully developed, those of the sides of 
