The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1900-12-22
QUEER SPECIES OF BIRDS.
Turkeys Of Fisrida That Take to
the water Just Like
Ducks.

Comparatively few aquatic birdA.
except those which are migratory, are
remarkable for power Of fight. In
deed, they are apt 70 be deficient in
that respect. On the other hand,
birds that = strong Of wing, such
as the lark or hawk, seldom go near
the water, except to drink There
are, however, = few winged creatures
that possess both traits to a remark
able degree, and a group of them, Sc
cured by Frank N. Chapman with
great difficulty In Florida, constitutes
n Of the new acquisitions Of the
American museum Of natural his
tory in West Seventy-seventh street,
says the New York Tribune. The
group includes two full-grown speci-
mems and four or five nestlings.
These are shown, with q nest, in a
glass case like that in which Mr..
Chapman exhibited 4 number Of peli-
cans last year.
This pathological novelty is va
riously known as the water turkey,
the snake bird, the darter and plotus
anhinga. In size, general coloring
I'M the possession of a broad tail 1t
strihnsly resembles the farmyard
turkey, though possibly il Is a trihe
smaller. Its neck u much longer and
more slender, too. This part OF the
creature IL curved very much after
a fashion OF . swans neck, and "a
strongly suggestive Of a snake when
its BODY 10 immersed In the water.
Inc wep loot, compact under plumage
and fondne,s for diving ally IL close
~ to the loon. The water turkey will
oi'sn swim for long distances with
every part Of its body submerged, ex-
cspt a small portion OF its bill. Thus
II possesses all the marked character.
istics OF a typical aquatic bird. Yet
II viii perch on the branch Of a tree,
just Is q hawk does, and, what Is
even more singular, II will poise t.
self In the afr, like an eagle, main.
tanning Its position apparently with.
out q nutter Of its powerful piniops.
The swiftness with which il attacks
Its prey accounts for the name dart.
er, and for the retention Of what II
once captures 1t is peculiarly qualified
BY fine serrations near the end Of its
slender bill. The latter Is also EN-.
ployed, II Is believed, to peck out the
eyes Of feathered assailants. Herons
have been known TO serve an eagle
In this manner when the bird of free.
dom was too aggressive. Still II Il
only during the brooding season that
the heron and water turkey develop
such savage dispositions.
Another Illustration Of the double
character Of this queer bird Is its
nest, which shows a comparatively
high order Of architectural skin
whereas aquatic birds usually have
only the most rudimentary of nests.
The genus plotus Is found only in
warm countries. There are two OF
three species found in the old world
The anhinga Is the only American
species, and its habitat Is the vicin.
ity OF the Gulf Of Mexico and South
America. Even in these regions it Il
not any too abundant. To capture
the specimens which have beer
mounted for the Natural History mu
scum Mr.. Chapman was Obliged t.
push his way up the st. Johns fai
above navigation.
The archaeological branch OF IN,
geological department Of the museum
a OF late given attention TO tn,
birds to be found within so milei
OF New York citv. ponular sd,.a,to.