164 
AMERICAN ANHINGA. 
There is a bare space at the base of the upper mandible, including the eye ; 
the skin of the throat is bare and dilated, like that of the Cormorants. The 
plumage of the head, neck, and body, is close, blended, and of a silky 
texture ; the feathers oblong, rounded, with the filament disunited toward 
the end. On each side of the neck, from near the eye to half its length, is a 
series of elongated narrow loose feathers, a few of which are also dispersed 
over the back of the neck, and which in the breeding season are an inch and 
a quarter in length. The scapulars, which are very numerous, are elongated, 
lanceolate, tapering to a point, compact, stiffish, elastic, highly glossed, 
gradually increasing in size backwards, the outer web of the largest crimped. 
Wings of moderate length and breadth ; primaries strong, firm, considerably 
curved, the third longest, the second almost as long, the first a little shorter 
than the fourth ; the second, third, and fourth cut out on the outer web. 
Secondaries a little decurved, broad, rounded, and acuminate ; the inner 
elongated, straightish, acuminate, and resembling the posterior scapulars. 
Tail very long, narrow, of twelve straight feathers having strong shafts, and 
increasing in breadth from the base to the end, which is rounded and very 
broad, the two middle feathers have their outer webs curiously marked with 
transverse alternate ridges and depressions. 
Upper mandible dusky olive, the edges yellow; lower mandible bright 
yellow, the edges and tips greenish ; bare space about the eye bluish-green ; 
gular sac bright orange. Iris bright carmine. Tarsi and toes anteriorly 
dusky olive, the hind parts and webs yellow ; claws brownish-black. The 
general colour of the head, neck, and body, is glossy blackish-green ; of the 
scapulars, wings, and tail, glossy bluish-black. The long loose feathers on 
the neck are purplish-white or pale lilac. The lower part of the neck 
behind is marked with very numerous minute oblong spots of white ; which 
form two broad bands extending backwards, and gradually becoming more 
elongated, there being one along the centre of each feather including the 
scapulars. The smaller wing-coverts are similarly marked with broader 
white spots disposed in regular rows ; the four last of which have merely a 
central line towards the tip, while the inner has a broad band extending 
from near the base over the outer half of the inner web, and towards the end 
including a portion of the outer web ; the first row of small coverts and the 
secondary coverts ane white, excepting the portion of the inner web. The 
five inner elongated secondaries are marked with a narrow white band, 
occupying the inner half of the' outer web, from about an inch from their 
base to the extremity, near which it includes a part of the inner web. The 
tail-feathers tipped with a band of brownish-red, fading into white. 
Length to end of tail 35$ inches, to end of wings 30-4, to end of claws 
28$, to carpus 17$ ; extent of wings 44 ; wing from flexure 14 ; tail 11$ ; bill 
along the ridge 3$, along the edge of lower mandible 3 j-f ; tarsus 1 T \ ; hind 
