454 AMERICAN ANHINGA. 



occupying the inner half of the outer web, from about an inch from their 

 base to the extremity, near which it includes a part of the inner web. The 

 tail-feathers tipped with a band of brownish-red, fading into white. 



Length to end of tail 35f- inches, to end of wings 304, to end of claws 

 28^-, to carpus 17^; extent of wings 44; wing from flexure 14; tail 11-^; bill 

 along the ridge 3^, along the edge of lower mandible 3|f; tarsus 1 T \; hind 

 toe j-|, its claw T 6 j; second toe lfg-, its claw -ff; third toe 2^, its claw y^; 

 fourth toe 2ff, its claw ff. Weight 3i lbs. 



Adult Female. 



The female has the plumage similar in texture to that of the male, but 

 only a few inconspicuous elongated feathers on the neck. The bill is 

 lighter than in the male, the naked part around the eye darker, the eye and 

 gular sac as in the male; as are the feet. The upper part of the head and the 

 hind neck are dull greenish-brown, lighter at the lower part, the fore part of 

 the neck is pale reddish-brown, tinged with grey, lighter on the throat; this 

 colour extends over part of the breast, an inch and a half beyond the carpal 

 joint, and terminates abruptly in a transverse band of deep reddish-chestnut; 

 the rest of the lower parts as in the male, as are the upper, only the fore part 

 of the back is tinged with brown, and its spots less distinct. 



Length to end of tail 34 inches, to end of wings 29i, to end of claws 27^; 

 to carpal joint 16^; extent of wings 43. Weight 2 lbs. 15 oz. 



In external appearance and habits the Snake-bird is very nearly allied to 

 the Cormorants. The structure of the feet is essentially the same in both 

 genera, as is that of the wings and tail, the latter however being more 

 elongated in the Anhinga, in correspondence with the neck. If one might 

 suppose a small Cormorant elongated and attenuated, with the feet rather 

 enlarged but shortened, the head diminished in size, and the bill formed 

 more on the model of that of a Heron, being destitute of the distinct ridge 

 and curved unguis, he would form a pretty correct notion of this bird. Not 

 only is the bill like that of a Heron, but the vertebra? of the neck are very 

 similar to those of that family, and form the same abrupt curvatures between 

 the seventh and eighth vertebras. But all the other bones are those of the 

 Cormorants and Pelicans. The sternum in particular is almost precisely 

 similar to that of the Crested Cormorant, so that without entering very 

 minutely into its description, no differences could be pointed out. 



Both mandibles are concave within; the palate flat, with two longitudinal 

 ridges; the posterior aperture of the nares linear and 9 twelfths long, the 

 anterior or external aperture entirely obliterated. The lower mandible has 

 a distinct oblique joint at about a third of its length, enabling it to be 

 expanded to the extent of an inch and a half. The pouch, which is small, is 

 constructed in the same manner as that of the Pelicans and Cormorants; its 



