Plotid®. BIRDS. TACHYPETiDa:. cciii 
the faculties of their scaly prey, at once spread out 
plumage is of an extraordinary stiffness and elas- 
tlieir broad wings, press closely forward witli power- 
ticity; that of the neck and breast soft, thick and 
ful strokes of their feet, drive the little fishes towards 
shining. 'I’he position of these birds, when standing. 
the shoal, and then, with their enormous pouches. 
is like that of the Gannets. Formerly the Darter was 
spread like so many bag-nets, scoop them out and 
considered an anomalous production of some fanciful 
devour them in thousands. 'I’he White Pelicans 
trader — a monster, partaking of the nature of a Snake 
never dive upon their prey as the Brown Pelicans do, 
and a Duck— and some ancient charts delineate it in 
but skim along the surface, and dip up any prey 
all the extravagance of fiction. Mr. Bartram says 
that they are expert enough to reach. 'I'hey swim 
“They are to be found in all the rivers of Florida. 
along against the current and wind, with their wings 
'I'he people call them Snake-birds. I think I have 
partially extended, and the neck stretched out, the 
seen paintings of them on Ghinese screens and other 
upper mandible alone above water, while the lower 
Indian pictures. 'I’hey <lelight to sit in little peace- 
must be used as a scoop-net, as I saw it raised from 
ful communities, on the dry limbs of trees, hanging 
time to time and brought to meet the upper, when 
over the still waters with their wings and tail ex- 
the whole bill immediately fell to a perpendicular 
panded — I suppose to cool and air themselves, when 
position, the water was allowed to run out, and the 
at the same time they behold their images in the 
bill being again raised upwards, the fish was swal- 
watery mirror. At such times, when we approach 
lowed. After thus swimming for a hundred yards in 
them, they drop off the limbs into the water as if 
an extended line, and parallel to each other, they 
dead, and for a minute or two are not to be seen ; 
would rise on wing, wheel about, and re-alight at the 
when on a sudden, at a great distance, their long. 
same place where their fishing had commenced, when 
slender head and neck appear, like a snake rising 
they would repeat the same actions. 'I'he usual 
erect out of the water, and no other part of them is 
manner of flight is similar to that of the Brown Pel- 
to be seen when swimming except sometimes the tip 
ican.” The White Pelican is not so well known as 
end of their tail. In the heat of the day they are 
the Brown, probably from the fact that the latter is 
seen in great numbers, sailing very high in the air 
more frequently seen by those who are voyagers in 
over lakes and rivers.” 'I’hey feed entirely on fish. 
tropical waters. 
Their flesh is intolerable, and no one would, as Audu- 
BROWN PELICAN (P. /«sc?is).— 'I’his is the most 
bon says, eat of it unless constrained by starvation. 
interesting, as it is the most common of the genus in 
Mr. Abbott says these birds frequent the ponds. 
our country. It is rarely seen farther east than Gape 
rivers and creeks during the summer; build in the 
Hatteras, but is exceedingly numerous on the shores 
trees of the swamps, and in those of the islands in 
of the Gulf of Mexico, and does not, like the White 
ponds. 'I’hey construct their nests of sticks. 'I’he 
Pelican, enter the fresh-water streams. It was for- 
eggs are of a sky-blue color. 'I’hey are sometimes 
merly abundant in the harbor of Charleston, S. G., 
called Sun-birds, on account of their habit of sitting 
but is now seldom seen there. On the Keys of the 
with wings unfolded, as if “sunning” themselves. 
Florida Beef these birds are especially at- home. 
During a residence at the Tortugas the author had 
Family— 'rAGHYFElTDyF. 
opportunity to notice the habits of the species. On 
a sea-beaten islet of coral, that lies exposed to the 
THE FRIGATE BIRD (Tachypetes aquaa)—Y’]iite 
breakers of the Gulf Stream, were several small 
IX, fig. xxii. — 'I’his is the oidy species of the fami- 
mangroves — mere shrubs. On the tops of these sev- 
ly known on our coast, and is possibly the same 
eral Pelicans found a home, their nests being con- 
as that in the southern half of tlie continent. It is 
structed very rudely of coarse sticks and bits of 
strictly a maritime bird, and one that exhibits the 
coral, scarcely lined with anything more delicate. 
most wonderful powers of flight. During a long res- 
Two white and chalk-like eggs were the usual com- 
idence on the Florida Reef, where this bird is more 
plement. The nests were built on the extreme top- 
at home than on any other portion of the North 
most branches, and when the female alighted on its 
Atlantic shores, we have observed very carefully its 
nest, the whole structure seemed to be in danger of 
habits. In the cooler season, numbers of the Man- 
coming to the ground. 'I’he young of the Brown 
of-war Bird, as it is called there, were seen at certain 
Pelican are first covered with a cream-colored down. 
times soaring above the Fortress Jefferson, on the 
and have the bill and feet disproportionately large. 
'I’ortugas Keys. As these birds seemed to present the 
most remarkable exam[)le of the buoyancy or other 
Family — PLO'l'IDAU. 
conditions that serve to sustain them in air for long 
periods without seemingly any wing movements, we 
ANHINGA {Plotus anhinga ). — Galled in the 
improved the 0])portunity to test, so far as was pos- 
Southern States Snake-bird and Black-bellied 
sible, the philosophy of the phenomenon. An old- 
Darter. 'I’his bird is common in Florida and the 
fashioned light-house tower was yet standing within 
Gulf States. Its length is three feet three inches, 
the fortress, and this enabled the observer to be 
with a bill three and three-quarters inches in length. 
about seventy-five or eighty feet from the ground. 
the latter very slender and very sharp-pointed, and 
With a good glass and careful concealment in the 
armed with numerous sharp teeth toward the tip for 
lantern-to[), a very near view was obtained. Hum- 
securing its prey. It is black above and yellow be- 
boldt and Darwin — the latter in The Voyage of the 
ueath ; no external nostrils are visible. 'I’he whole 
Beagle — have given some attention to the subject. 
