NATATORES PELECANID.E — PHALACRACORAX. 293 



THE DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. 



Phalacracorax dilophus. 

 plate cxxi. figs. 267, 208. 

 (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Pelecanus (Carbo) dilophus. Richardson, F. B. A. Vol.2, p. 473. 



Phalacracorax id. Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 483. Audobon, B. of Am. Vol. 6, p. 423, pi. 41G. 



Characteristics. A small tuft of curved feathers on each side of the head. Bill 2 - 5 long. 

 Tail wedge-shaped, of twelve feathers. Length, 33 '0. 



Description. Adult male in spring plumage. "Head, neck and all beneath greenish 

 black ; remaining parts black, more or less tinged with brown ; bare space on the head, mar- 

 gin of the eyes, and gular pouch rich orange" {Audubon). A specimen shot on Long island, 

 May 12 (fig. 267), presented the following characters : Bill stout, subquadrate, with crescent- 

 shaped furrows on the sides like scales ; depth of the bill at base, 0'8 ; width at base, 0"5 ; 

 distance between the tip of the lower mandible and the edge of the membrane on the fore part 

 of the throat, 3'9 ; length of the bill above, 2 6. Naked space from the base of the upper 

 mandible, encircling the eye ; thence, after making an angle, it passes downward under the 

 throat. The tufts are composed of linear loosely webbed feathers, some of which are 0'9 

 long, becoming shorter as they approach the eye. Tarsus robust, compressed behind, 2 - 5 

 long. Nails much hooked, acute: outer toe and nail 4 - long. Color: Quills and tail 

 brownish black. Bill above black ; lower mandible and naked space yellow. Legs and 

 feet deep black. Remainder of head, neck and body greenish black. Above, the upper 

 part of the back, wing-coverts and tertials bronze-brown ; the margin of each feather deep 

 black, and thus presenting a reticulated appearance. Length, 32 inches. 



The specimen, fig. 268, killed October 23, I suppose to be the same species in its imma- 

 ture plumage. Summit of the head, back and sides of the neck, and all above dark brown. 

 Upper part of the back and the wing-coverts, with the margins of the feathers, deeper brown : 

 tertials with a slight tinge of green. Quills and lateral tail-coverts with the same gloss. 

 Thigh-feathers dark greenish. Throat and upper part of the neck light reddish brown, paler 

 near the membrane of the throat ; lower part of the neck whitish, and all beneath light ash, 

 streaked with rufous, becoming darker towards the vent. Same size with the preceding. 



Length, 32-0-33-0. 



This Cormorant appears more frequently on the coast of this State than the preceding, 

 with which it has been frequently confounded. Its habits and geographical range the same 

 with the preceding, but it is peculiar to the shores of America. 



