AMERICAN ANHINGA. 447 



The generally received opinion or belief that the Anhinga always swims 

 with its body sunk beneath the surface is quite incorrect; for it does so only 

 when in sight of an enemy, and when under no apprehension of danger it is 

 as buoyant as any other diving bird, such as a Cormorant, a Merganser, a 

 Grebe, or a Diver. This erroneous opinion has, however, been adopted 

 simply because few persons have watched the bird with sufficient care. 

 When it first observes an enemy, it immediately sinks its body deeper, in 

 the manner of the birds just mentioned, and the nearer the danger approaches, 

 the more does it sink, until at last it swims off with the head and neck only 

 above the surface, when these parts, from their form and peculiar sinuous 

 motion, somewhat resemble the head and part of the body of a snake. It is 

 in fact from this circumstance that the Anhinga has received the name of 

 Snake-bird. At such a time, it is seen constantly turning its head from side 

 to side, often opening its bill as if for the purpose of inhaling a larger 

 quantity of air, to enable it the better to dive, and remains under water so 

 long that when it next makes its appearance it is out of your reach. When 

 fishing in a state of security it dives precisely like a Cormorant, returns to 

 the surface as soon as it has procured a fish or other article of food, shakes it, 

 if it is not too large often throws it up into the air, and receiving it 

 conveniently in the bill, swallows it at once, and recommences its search. 

 But I doubt much if it ever seizes on any thing that it cannot thus swallow 

 w T hole. They have the curious habit of diving under any floating substances, 

 such as parcels of dead weeds or leaves of trees which have accidentally been 

 accumulated by the winds or currents, or even the green slimy substances 

 produced by putrefaction. This habit is continued by the species when in a 

 perfect state of domestication, for I have seen one kept by my friend John 

 Bachman thus diving when within a few feet of a quantity of floating rice- 

 chaff, in one of the tide-ponds in the neighbourhood of Charleston. Like 

 the Common Goose, it invariably depresses its head while swimming under 

 a low bridge, or a branch or trunk of a tree hanging over the water. When 

 it swims beneath the surface of the water, it spreads its wings partially, but 

 does not employ them as a means of propulsion, and keeps its tail always 

 considerably expanded^ using the feet as paddles either simultaneously or 

 alternately. 



The quantity of fish consumed by this bird is astonishing; and what I am 

 about to relate on this subject will appear equally so. One morning Dr. 

 Bachman and I gave to an Anhinga a Black Fish, measuring nine and a half 

 inches, by two inches in diameter; and although the head of the fish was 

 considerably larger than its body, and its strong and spinous fins appeared 

 formidable, the bird, which was then about seven months old, swallowed it 

 entire, head foremost. It was in appearance digested in an hour and a half, 



