452 DARTER. 



The author of the American Ornithology is of opinion with 

 Mr. Abbot, that the two last described are only sexual differences ; 

 that they build in the trees in the swamps and islands of the ponds ; 

 and the nest composed of sticks. Mr. A. says they lay four eggs 

 each, but that he once found a nest with two eggs and six young 

 birds, and was inclined to think, that more than one female was 

 concerned ; and that they build year after year in the same tree, un- 

 less the surrounding spots are dried up. 



Pl. clxxxiv. 



A. — Anhinga, Buf. viii. pl. 35. hid. Orn. ii. 896. /3. Gen. Syn. vi. 624. Var. A. 

 pl. cvi. Nat. Misc. pi. 373. 



Size of the last ; length three feet three inches and an half. Bill 

 four inches and an half, dusky yellow, covered at the base with a 

 skin of the same colour, occupying the space between the bill and 

 eye, and surrounding the latter ; nostrils an oblique slit, not far from 

 the base ; the upper mandible finely serrated ; head small, the neck 

 long and slender, both covered with dusky white downy feathers, 

 inclining to brown, paler on the fore part ; back, scapulars, and 

 wing coverts the same, but deeper coloured ; the lower part of the 

 neck on the sides, and wing coverts, marked with oval spots of 

 white, forming regular rows on the latter; the scapulars streaked 

 longitudinally with white, giving the bird an elegant appearance ; 

 across the lower part of the breast a dull rufous bar ; from thence 

 to the vent black ; quills and tail the same, the last eleven inches 

 long, consisting of twelve feathers, the middle ones undulated as in 

 the last ; legs clumsy, stout, four inches and an half long, and 

 yellowish brown. 



The above said to have been brought from India; the description 

 taken from one in the British Museum ; one similar to this was also 

 in Mr. Bullock's fine collection, but this last had the feathers at the 

 nape elongated into a sort of crest. 



