AMERICAN ANHINGA. 
155 
surprise on seeing them. The Floridas therefore are peculiarly adapted for 
this species, as there the torpid waters of the streams, bayous, and lakes, are 
most abundantly supplied with various species of fish, reptiles, and insects, 
while the temperature is at all seasons congenial, and their exemption from 
annoyance almost unparalleled. Wherever similar situations occur in other 
parts of the Southern States, there the Anhingas are met with in numbers 
proportioned to the extent of the favourable localities. It is very seldom 
indeed that any are seen on rapid streams, and more especially on clear 
water, a single instance of such an occurrence being all that I have observed. 
Wherever you may chance to find this bird, you will perceive that it has not 
left itself without the means of escape ; you will never find one in a pond 
or bayou completely enclosed by tall trees, so as to obstruct its passage ; but 
will observe that it generally prefers ponds or lakes surrounded by deep and 
almost impenetrable morasses, and having a few large trees growing out of 
the water near their centre, from the branches of which they can easily mark 
the approach of an enemy, and make their escape in good time. Unlike the 
Fish-hawk and King-fisher, the Anhinga however never plunges or dives 
from an eminence in procuring its prey, although from its habit of occasion- 
ally dropping in silence to the water from its perch, for the purpose of 
afterwards swimming about and diving in the manner of the Cormorant, 
some writers have been led to believe that it does so. 
The Black-bellied Darter, all whose names I shall use, for the purpose of 
avoiding irksome repetitions, may be considered as indefinitely gregarious ; 
by which I mean that you may see eight or more together at times, during 
winter especially, or only two, as in the breeding season. On a few 
occasions, whilst in the interior of the southernmost parts of Florida, I saw 
about thirty individuals on the same lake. While exploring the St. John’s 
river of that country in its whole length, I sometimes saw several hundreds 
together. I procured a great number on that stream, on the lakes in its 
neighbourhood, and also on those near the plantation of Mr. Bulow, on the 
eastern side of the Peninsula. I observed that the young Darters, as well 
as those of the Cormorants, Herons, and many other birds, kept apart from 
the old individuals, which they however joined in spring, when they had 
attained their full beauty of plumage. 
The Anhinga is altogether a diurnal bird, and, like the Cormorant, is fond 
of returning to the same roosting place every evening about dusk, unless 
prevented by molestation. At times I have seen from three to seven alight 
on the dead top branches of a tall tree, for the purpose of there spending the 
night ; and this they repeated for several weeks, until on my having killed 
some of them and wounded others, the rest abandoned the spot, and after 
several furious contests with a party that roosted about two miles off. 
