390 ZOOLOGY. 
Sub-fam. 2. Plotine, or Darters. Bill long, slender, acute ; wings long; 
tail rather long; tarsi short, very strong; feet large, fully webbed ; neck 
long and slender. Size rather large; color black. 
The darters, of which only four species are known, inhabit the southern 
regions of both continents. In the southern states of the North American 
confederacy, a species is frequent, and is known by the name of “snake 
bird,” on account of its long, slender neck, and its habit of swimming with 
its body submerged, the neck and head only being visible, and presenting 
much the appearance of a serpent. It is a constant resident in Florida, 
and is the Plotus anhinga (pl. 92, fig. 5). The other species inhabit Africa — 
and Australia. 
Sub-fam. 3. Pelecanine, Pelicans and Gannets. Bill long, rather 
slender, tip hooked ; lower mandible and throat furnished with a pouch, 
capable of more or less distension; wings long, pointed ; tail moderate ; 
tarsi short; toes moderate, rather long, all four of which are united by the 
web. Size generally large; color mostly white in adults. 
The pelicans, which are at once recognised by their large pouches 
attached to the under mandible, are scattered throughout the world, living 
indifferently on rivers, lakes, or the sea coast. The principal] American 
species is the large white pelican (Pelecanus americanus), of which we beg 
the liberty of extr acting the following account from Audubon. 
“ As this species is often seen alae the sea shores, as well as on fresh 
water, I will give you a description of its manners there. While on the 
island of Barataria, in April, 1837, | one afternoon observed a number of 
white pelicans swimming against the wind and current, with their wings 
partially extended, and the neck stretched out, the upper mandible alone 
appearing above the surface, while the lower must have been used as a 
scoop net, as I saw it raised from time to time, and brought to meet the 
upper, when the whole bill immediately fell into a perpendicular position, 
the water was allowed to run out, and being again raised upwards, the fish 
was swallowed. After thus swimming for about a hundred yards in an 
extended line, and parallel to each other, they would rise on wing, wheel 
about, and re-alight at the place where their fishing had commenced, when 
they would repeat the same actions. I continued watching them more 
than an hour, concealed among a large quantity of drifted logs, until their 
fishing was finished, when they all flew off to the lee of another island, no 
doubt to spend the night there, for these birds are altogether diurnal. 
When gorged, they retire to the shores, to small islands in bays or rivers, 
or sit on logs floating in shallow waters at a good distance from the beach, 
in all which situations they are prone to lie down or stand closely 
together.” 
This bird is a constant resident in the southern parts of the United 
States, as is also the brown pelican (P. fuscus), a smaller species, but very 
similar in general history. 
The great pelican (P. onocrotalus), and the hairy pelican, P. crispus 
(pl. 91, fig. 6), which are the largest of all species, inhabit the seas of 
Europe and Asia. Six or eight other species are known. 
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