( ivo ) 



The "length of the wing," i.e. from the "bend" to the tip of the longest quill, 

 is l.^;H mm. — abont the same as that of the little PL jncaiiicHs ; but, owing to the 

 rounding otf and the general reduction in length of all the quills, the exiiandi'd 

 wing-area of the great flightless Cormorant is only about two-thirds of tlnit of ihe 

 tiny Fk. jaranicus, and with more than ten times the displacement of the whole 

 body. In comparison with I'/i. curho and Ph. jivr.tiiirillala.t, the wing-arcii of 

 Ph. harrixi is enormously decreased. 



Attention may be drawn to the curions but rather suggestive coincidence that 

 this great flightless Cormorant, the Steamer Duck, and Penguins all oi-cur in 

 the seas of the neotropical region. Penguins flourish also around New Zealand, 

 the home of the e.xtinct Cnemiornls, which, however, was a Land Goose ; but at tiie 

 Auckland Islands lives the little Duck Xexom'lta, which, although not flightless, 

 is apparently doing its best to reduce its wings to that condition.* 



Skeleton. — The comparison of the bones of P//. //ar/'/ni with those of other 

 Cormorants necessitates a great number of measurements and still more numerous 

 calculations. Some of these are given in the tables. The relative proportions of 

 the various long bones to each other are subject to very little individual variation, 

 amounting to less than one per cent. But the specific variations range within 

 considerably wider limits. It would therefore be obviously unjustifiable, quite 

 wilful, to select one of the many species of Cormorants as the standard, some being 

 undoubtedly better fliers than other. However, I was gratified to find in the 

 Natural History Museum a specimen otP//. cdrljoirh's from Tasmania (considered 

 as synonymous with carlo), whicli in general bulk and size surjjasses the large 

 7nnle specimen of liarrisi. 



• I Iiave come to the conclusion tliat .Vcsonetfa is in the act of diminishing its wing-area by rcitiu-tion 

 of the number and size of its primaries, from the examination of tliree spirit specimens and si.^t sl<ins. 

 None of the specimens are in moult. The results of the examination are as follows: — 



1. There are sitecimens with ten functional primaries, the tenth quill equalling in length the fifth, and 

 being preceded by a tiny eleventh, occult quill. 



2. There are specimens with only nine functional quills, the tenth being reduced to a slender but stiff 

 quill, less than one inch in length. 



.S. There are specimens with only eight functional quills, the eighth being intermediate in length 

 between the sixth and fifth quills ; the ninth is reduced to a slender but stiff quill, resembling the tenth 

 when there are nine functional quills ; and the tenth is very thin, almost threadlike, scarcely half an inch 

 in length. 



4. The tip of the wing is formed either by the sixth, seventh, or eighth quill, the formulae being — 



8 long quills, tip formed by 7, then G, s, .">, !l very small, lu tiny. 

 !l „ 7, then S, 6, 9, .'), lOth sniiiU. 



9 ,, „ „ „ „ 7, then 6, 8, 9 = 5, loth small. 

 9 „ „ ,, „ „ 7, then 8 = 6, B, 9, 1 nth small. 

 9 , „ „ B, then 7, 8, 5, 9. 



!' .. „ ., „ „ 8, then 7, 6, 9 = 5. 

 10 ,, 7, then 9, H, 6, 10 = .■). 



B. The right and left wing are not always symmetrical, there being speeimens with ten good 

 functional primaries on one side and with only nine on the other wing, or with nine and eight functional 

 quills, or with nine, or lastly with only eight functional quills on cither wing. 



'J'hc problem involved can be solved satisfactoiily oidy by examination of a large number of specimens 

 of all ages, from the young ducklings to the fully .iilnlt which have moulted several times. It is iiuite 

 possible that the young still possess not [)nly larger <]uills. but a greater numb(?r than seems to be the case 

 with old specimens. I'erliaps not eveiy individual dois undergo this iiroccss of reduction which attacks 

 sueees.sively the eleventh qnill, which is now almost universally obsolete in birds, then the tenth, and 

 now, in .V/-«fi;j(r//ff, even the ninth ([uill. In this respect yewnetta, now unfortunately on the verge of 

 extermination, exhibits a most interesting parallel with its equally unlucky contempo^-ary the flightless 

 Cormorant. 



