AMERICAN ANHINGA. 451 



of Herons. From birth they are fed by regurgitation, which one might 

 suppose an irksome task to the parent birds, as during the act they open 

 their wings and raise their tails. I have not been able to ascertain the 

 period of incubation, but am sure that the male and the female sit alternately, 

 the latter however remaining much longer on the nest. Young Anhingas 

 when approached while in the nest cling tenaciously to it, until seized, and 

 if thrown down, they merely float on the water, and are easily captured. 



When they are three weeks old, the quills and tail-feathers grow rapidly, 

 but continue of the same dark-brown colour, and so remain until they are 

 able to fly, when they leave the nest, although they still present a singular 

 motley appearance, the breast and back being buff-coloured, while the wings 

 and tail are nearly black. After the feathers of the wings and tail are nearly 

 fully developed, those of the sides of the body and breast become visible 

 through the down, and the bird appears more curiously mottled than before. 

 The young male now assumes the colour of the adult female, which it retains 

 until the beginning of October, when the breast becomes streaked with 

 dusky; white spots shew themselves on the back, the black of which 

 becomes more intense, and the crimpings on the two middle feathers of the 

 tail, which have been more or less apparent from the first, are now perfect. 

 By the middle of February, the male is in full plumage, but the eyes have 

 not yet acquired their full colour, being only of a dull reddish-orange. In 

 this respect also two differences are observed between the Anhinga and 

 the Cormorants. The first is the rapid progress of the Anhinga towards 

 maturity of plumage, the other the retaining of its complete dress through 

 the whole of its life, no change taking place in its colours at each successive 

 moult. The Cormorants, on the contrary, take three or four years to attain 

 their full dress of the love season, which lasts only during that period of 

 excitement. The progress of the plumage in the female Anhinga is as rapid 

 as in the male, and the tints also remain unaltered through each successive 

 moult. 



Like all other carnivorous and piscivorous birds, the Anhinga can remain 

 days and nights without food, apparently without being much incommoded. 

 When overtaken on being wounded, and especially if brought to the ground, 

 it seems to regard its enemies without fear. On several occasions of this 

 kind, I have seen it watch my approach, or that of my dog, standing as erect 

 as it could under the pain of its wounds, with its head drawn back, its bill 

 open, and its throat swelled with anger until, when at a sure distance, it 

 would dart its head forward and give a severe wound. One which had thus 

 struck at my dog's nose, hung to it until dragged to my feet over a space of 

 thirty paces. When seized by the neck, they scratch severely with their 



