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FEMALE BLACK-BELLIED DARTER. 

 [Plate LXXIV.— Fig. 2.] 



White-bellied Darter Lath. Gen* Syn, VI, p. 622, 1. Ind. Orn. p. 895. 

 Pe ale's Museum, JV'o. 3189, Female. 



THE female Darter measures three feet five inches in length; 

 and differs in having the neck before of a roan color or iron gray, 

 the breast the same but lighter and tinged with pale chesnut; the 

 belly as in the male ; where the iron gray joins the black on the 

 "belly, there is a narrow band of chesnut; upper head and back of 

 the neck dark sooty brown, streaked with blackish; cheeks and chin 

 pale yellow ochre ; in every other respect the same as the male, 

 except in having only a few slight tufts of hair along the side of 

 the neck; the tail is twelve inches long to its insertion, generally 

 spread out like a fan, and crimped like the other on the outer 

 vanes of the two middle feathers only. 



Naturalists describe a bird, of this family, which they call the 

 White-bellied Darter, F. anhinga. We know of but one species 

 of Plotus found within the United States, and suspect that the fe- 

 male above described is the White-bellied Darter of Latham and 

 others. For the purpose of ascertaining the fact, we wrote to an 

 experienced naturalist residing in Georgia, but through some un- 

 fortunate cause no answer has been received. It is so many years 

 since our venerable friend, Mr. Bartram, travelled in those regions 

 where the Darters are common, that he has lost all recollection 

 of them, except what relates to their general appearance. We 

 must therefore content ourselves with our imperfect knowledge of 

 this singular species, until some favorable occurrence shall enable 

 us to form a correct opinion. 



Since the above has been written, the editor has had the sa- 



