The Water Turkey 



ships. Their feet and legs are absurdly inadequate for progress on 

 shore; and if obliged to walk they spread their wings and waddle about 

 like cowboys in tight boots. 



The Red-billed Tropic-birds were studied by the Academy Expedi- 

 tion to the Galapagos Islands in 1905-1906; and I cull the following 

 paragraphs from the account of Mr. E. W. Gifford: 1 



"Red-billed Tropic-birds could be recognized at almost any time 

 by their cry, which is long and shrill and consists of a lot of short high 

 rasping notes given in quick succession. Birds flying about the nesting 

 place often gave it, and birds disturbed on the nest also gave it. The 

 young when taken from the nest uttered the same cry; and I have even 

 heard a young bird only a day or so old give three or four notes of it 

 when handled. 



"The nesting places were usually holes in cliffs and hillsides in the 

 vicinity of the sea. As a rule the single egg was laid at the end of a short 

 burrow; when such was the case no eggs or young were found. One bird 

 which I disturbed on its nest was in a good light so that I could see it. 

 It was sitting on its egg with wings drooping at its sides, feathers raised, 

 and every feature showing rage at my intrusion." 



No. 394 



Water Turkey 



A. O. U. Xo. 118. Anhinga anhinga (LinnEeus). 



Synonyms. — American Darter. Black Darter. American Anhinga. 

 Snake-bird. 



Description. — Adult male: General color black; glossy greenish black on head, 

 neck, and body; wings and tail duller; median and greater wing-coverts chiefly silver- 

 gray; the lesser wing-coverts spotted, and the scapulars striped with silver-gray; tail 

 broadly tipped with brownish buffy; the central pair of rectrices finely crinkled on 

 outer webs. In breeding plumage the hind-neck boasts a mane of black feathers, 

 bounded on either side by scattered filamentous plumes of purplish white or brownish 

 ash. "In both sexes iris red, ranging from carmine to pink; bill yellow, with dusky 

 greenish ridge and tip; bare skin about eyes lurid green; sac orange; feet dusky olive 

 and yellow; webs yellow; claws blackish." Adult female: Similar to adult male, but 

 head and neck chiefly dull buffy mingled with darker (nearly dusky above), clearing 

 on jugulum and breast to pure light buff; general body plumage black but silvery- 

 buff appearing as tiny spots; on upper back occupies central portions of elongated 

 scapulars, subterminal portions of lesser wing-coverts, and entire exposed surface of 

 greater coverts; tip of tail also brownish buffy, shading for an inch or so; line of junction 

 between buff and black of breast, narrowly, auburn; central pair of tail-feathers finely 



1 Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 4th Series, Vol. II., pt. I., 1913, p. 105. 



1935 



