FEMALE SNAKE-BIRD. 138 



mens of both at the same time. I remember that the upper parts of the 

 female were similar to those of the male, except that the' color and 

 markings were not so pure and distinct ; length thirty-six inches, extent 

 forty-six. These birds frequent the ponds, rivers and creeks, during 

 the summer ; build in the trees of the swamps, and those of the islands 

 in the ponds ; they construct their nests of sticks ; eggs of a sky blue 

 color. I inspected a nest, which was not very large ; it contained two 

 eggs and six young ones, the latter varying much in size ; they wil! 

 occupy the same tree for a series of years. They commonly sit on a 

 stump, which rises out of the water, in the mornings of the spring, and 

 spread their wings to the sun, from which circumstance they have 

 obtained the appellation of Sun-birds. They are difficult to be shot 

 when swimming, in consequence of only their heads being above the 

 water." 



Never having seen a specimen of the Black-bellied Darter of Senegal 

 and Java, I cannot give an opinion touching its identity with ours.* 



' From Mr. Orel's Supplementary Volume. 



