5° THE-NATURAL HISTORY 
and this enables them to fupport themfelves more 
eafily in the air. 

Genos 34. ith, OE oS 
Ture ANHINGA, or DARTER. 
The Darter’s beak is ftraight, fharp at the point, and 
toothed. 
Its face is covered with feathers *. 
~ Jts feet palmated, or all the four toes conneéted, 
WI is found in South America, and in 
Africa. Like a ferpent, it draws in its 
_ very long neck, and then darts out its beak at the 
fifh upon which it feeds. Its head is thickly 
covered with fhort, velvet-like feathers. It is a 
very wild bird, and frequently perches itfelf, not- 
withftanding its webbed feet, on the tops of trees, 
by river fides, or near favannahs that are over- 
flown. (A favannah is a large open meadow.) 
Darters build their nefts on trees. They are 
moftly fat, but the flefh is oily, and bad tafted, 
The very great length of the neck is not all that 
is remarkable in its appearance ; for it has a large 
or 
* Iris faid, that one fpecies of the Darter has ats face 
and chin bare of feathers. | 
| and 
S g's. 


