ORDER STEGANOPODES. 



TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS. ANHINGAS, CORMORANTS, 

 PELICANS, ETC. 



Family ANHINGID^. Darters, Snake Birds. 



Of the four known species of this family, only one occurs in the 

 United States. It was at one time not uncommon in southern Illinois 

 and is still to be found in the extreme southern portion of the state. 

 They are fish eaters and expert divers, often remaining for a consider- 

 able time under water with the head and perhaps a portion of the 

 neck exposed above the surface. 



Genus ANHINGA Bnss. 



31. Anhinga anhinga (Linn.). 

 Anhinga. 



Local names: Water Turkey. Snake Bird. 



Distr.: Tropical and subtropical America, north in the United 

 States to the Carolinas, southern Kansas, and southern Illinois. 



Adult male in breeding plumage: Head and neck, black, showing 

 a greenish gloss; back of the head and neck showing lengthened hair- 

 like feathers of dull white; back mottled and streaked with white; 

 upper mandible, olive, edged with yellow; lower mandible, yellow, 

 shading into green at the tip; gular sac, yellow. In winter the male 

 loses the white hair-like feathers on the neck; middle tail feathers 

 showing transverse fluting. 



Adult female: Head, neck, and breast, buff color, darker on the 

 nape. 



Length, 33.50; wing, 13.5°; tail, 10.50; tarsus, 1.35; bill, 3.25. 



The Anhinga, commonly called Water Turkey or Snake Bird, 

 occurs more or less commonly in summer in the extreme southern 

 portion of Illinois and may breed there, although I find no actual 

 record of its having done so. 



"In summer it passes north regularly to southern Illinois." 

 (Cooke.) "The Anhinga appears to be a regular summer resident 

 in the extreme southern portion of Illinois, since Mr. Kennicott found 



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