THE DARTER FAMILY 225 



The Double-Ceested Cormorant^ is a bird of the 

 interior of the United States, from Texas northward into 

 Manitoba, but also ranging to the Atlantic coast. Its color 

 is glossy black. On the Pacific coast, from Washington to 

 Alaska, is found the Pelagic Cormorant,^ with an erect 

 crest rising from its forehead, and by which this bird is easily 

 recognized. 



Pallas's Cormorant, which once inhabited the northern 

 shore of Bering Sea, was the largest and handsomest bird of 

 this Family. Its prevailing color was dark metallic-green, 

 set off with blue and purple reflections. It was discovered by 

 Bering in 1741, but is now quite extinct. 



THE DARTER FAMILY 



Anhingidae 



The Snake-Bird, Darter, or Water-" Turkey,"^ is a 

 web-footed bird, with many peculiarities. Its most popu- 

 lar name — Snake-Bird — has been bestowed in recognition of 

 the fact that in this bird the neck and head are so long and 

 slender they suggest the body and head of a snake. When 

 not in action the head and upper neck are only an inch in 

 diameter, yet so rubber-like is the skin that I have seen a 

 Darter swallow a mullet 8 inches long, and 1}^ inches in 

 diameter — a truly snake-like stretch. Frequently when the 

 head of a fish is in this bird's crop, the tail fin will protrude 

 from a corner of the mouth. 



The beak is like a Spanish dagger, and ^t all times it is 



1 P. di-lo'phus. ^ P. -pe-lag'i-cus. 



' An-hin'ga an-hin'ga. Average length, 33 inches. 



