444 AMERICAN ANHINGA. 



surprise on seeing them. The Floridas therefore are peculiarly adapted for 

 this species, as there the torpid waters of the streams, bayous, and lakes, are 

 most abundantly supplied with various species of fish, reptiles, and insects, 

 while the temperature is at all seasons congenial, and their exemption from 

 annoyance almost unparalleled. Wherever similar situations occur in other 

 parts of the Southern States, there the Anhingas are met with in numbers 

 proportioned to the extent of the favourable localities. It is very seldom 

 indeed that any are seen on rapid streams, and more especially on clear 

 water, a single instance of such an occurrence being all that I have observed. 

 Wherever you may chance to find this bird, you will perceive that it has not 

 left itself without the means of escape; you will never find one in a pond or 

 bayou completely enclosed by tall trees, so as to obstruct its passage; but will 

 observe that it generally prefers ponds or lakes surrounded by deep and 

 almost impenetrable morasses, and having a few large trees growing out of 

 the water near their centre, from the branches of which they can easily mark 

 the approach of an enemy, and make their escape in good time. Unlike the 

 Fish-hawk and King-fisher, the Anhinga however never plunges or dives 

 from an eminence in procuring its prey, although from its habit of occasion- 

 ally dropping in silence to the water from its perch, for the purpose of 

 afterwards swimming about and diving in the manner of the Cormorant, 

 some writers have been led to believe that it does so. 



The Black-bellied Darter, all whose names I shall use, for the purpose of 

 avoiding irksome repetitions, may be considered as indefinitely gregarious; 

 by which I mean that you may see eight or more together at times, during 

 winter especially, or only two, as in the breeding season. On a few 

 occasions, whilst in the interior of the southernmost parts of Florida, I saw 

 about thirty individuals on the same lake. While exploring the St. John's 

 river of that country in its whole length, I sometimes saw several hundreds 

 together. I procured a great number on that stream, on the lakes in its 

 neighbourhood, and also on those near the plantation of Mr. Buxow, on the 

 eastern side of the Peninsula. I observed that the young Darters, as well as 

 those of the Cormorants, Herons, and many other birds, kept apart from the 

 old individuals, which they however joined in spring, when they had 

 attained their full beauty of plumage. 



The Anhinga is altogether a diurnal bird, and, like the Cormorant, is fond 

 of returning to the same roosting place every evening about dusk, unless 

 prevented by molestation. At times I have seen from three to. seven alight 

 on the dead top branches of a tall tree, for the purpose of there spending the 

 night; and this they repeated for several weeks, until on my having killed 

 some of them and wounded others, the rest abandoned the spot, and after 

 several furious contests with a party that roosted about two miles off", 



