The Water Turkey 



crinkled on outer webs. Young birds somewhat resemble adult female, but are dull 

 gray below and lack the silver-gray markings of scapulars, etc.; flight-feathers more 

 or less margined with whitish toward tips; tail-feathers not crinkled. Length of 

 adult about 914.4 (36.00); wing 345.4 (13.60); tail 265.5 (10.45); bil1 34-3 (i-35); tarsus 

 86.4 (3.40). 



Recognition Marks. — Gull size as to body, elongated neck with small head, 

 "scarcely larger"; silver-gray markings on scapulars, etc., distinctive; swamp-loving 

 habits. 



Nesting. — Not known to breed in California, but probably does so. In colonies. 

 Nest: A platform of sticks placed in bushes over swamp water or sluggish streams. 

 Eggs: 3 to 5; light bluish green, overlaid with chalk}- accretion, not certainly distin- 

 guishable from those of Cormorants, but averaging shorter. Av. size 54.6 x 34.3 

 (2.15 x 1.35). Season: March-April; one brood. 



General Range. — Tropical and subtropical America, from the lower Colorado 

 River (in Arizona, California, and Mexico), Texas, southern Illinois, and North Caro- 

 lina, south to southeastern Brazil. 



Occurrence in California. — Observed by Allan Brooks and the author above 

 Laguna Dam, Potholes, Calif., Feb. 9 and 12, 1913. Probably of regular occurrence 

 on the Colorado River up to that point. 



Authorities. — Brooks, Condor, vol. xv., 1913, p. 182 (Calif, side of Colo. 

 R. at Potholes, Imperial Co.); Bent, U. S. Nat. Mus., Bull. no. 121, 1922, p. 229, pis. 

 (life hist.; desc. nest and eggs, etc.). 



WE CANNOT adduce a better proof of the variety of Californian 

 bird-life than that furnished by the occurrence of this tropical or sub- 

 tropical fowl on our southern border, in contrast, say, with the Sierra 

 Nevada Rosy Finch, breeding at 14,000 feet on Mt. Whitney, or the 

 Great Gray Owl in Siskiyou County. The Amazon is nearer the center 

 of the Snake-bird's distribution, but it follows the oozy depths of sun- 

 warmed waters into Florida and Texas, and latterly has made its appear- 

 ance on the Colorado River, first on the Arizona side, at Yuma, in the 

 winter of 1905-6, and then at Potholes, California, where it was recog- 

 nized by Mr. Allan Brooks and the writer in February, 1913. 



The building of the Laguna Dam at Potholes has created slack water 

 for several miles upstream ; and here in the dying timber Egrets and Faral- 

 lon Cormorants make their homes. Among the latter we descried first one 

 and then two of the smaller and more nimble Snake-birds. In striking 

 contrast with the ungainly Shags, they described small circles in the air 

 with a quick flap, flap, flap, and sail; and when they lighted on some dead 

 limb overhanging the water, they did so with easy assurance and grace. 



These Darters are among the most expert of fresh-water divers. When 

 surprised they pitch head foremost into and under the water, leaving 

 scarcely a ripple behind. If they reappear a hundred yards away, it is only 

 to exhibit a snake-like neck surmounted by a head so compressed as 

 scarcely to disturb the general scheme. Fish are secured by direct pursuit, 

 and so easy is the game that the bird can afford to spend a good deal of 

 time ashore, or rather a-stub, basking in the tropical sunshine. 



1936 



