PHALACROCORACID.E — THE CORMOKANTS — PIIALACROCORAX. 157 



far north as Nicaragua, The latter is somewhat siniihir to F. dilophus, but is decidedly smaller 

 than even southern specimens, and has the gular sac divided posteriorly along the middle line by 

 an angular extension of the feathering of the throat. 



The Mexican Cormorant is a tropical species, and has but a limited claim to be 

 counted as belonging to the North American fauna. It is common only on the south- 

 western portion of the coast of Texas, and also probably in the extreme southern 

 portion of California ; and is also of accidental occurrence within the interior por- 

 tions of the United States. It is found on both coasts of Mexico, and is abun- 

 dant on that of Yucatan, Honduras, Central America, and South America ; it is also 

 occasionally met with in the waters of the interior. 



This species Avas taken on Lake Peten, in Honduras, by Mr. Layard; and Mr. 

 G. C. Taylor met with it in the Lake of Yojoya, in the same region. Mr. Salvin, in 

 his explorations among the creeks on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, observed indi- 

 viduals that were nesting on the branches of trees, while others were swimming in 

 the muddy waters. Colonel Grayson mentions finding it everywhere common on the 

 Pacific coast in the neighborhood of Mazatlan, in Western Mexico, but does not give 

 any description of its habits. Dr. Burmeister appears to have met with it in large 

 numbers throughout nearly all the La Plata Regions, and he speaks of seeing it 

 everywhere, on the Rio Parana, and farther inland, on the lagoons and large ponds 

 of the interior. Dr. J. W. Viele informs me that he found it abundant on the coast 

 of Yucatan, where he met with it in large breeding communities, and obtained its 

 eggs. He did not notice any specific peculiarities of habit by Avhich it might be dis- 

 tinguished from the common F. floridanus. A single specimen was secured by Pro- 

 fessor Frank H. Snow, of Lawrence, Kan. ; it was taken four miles south of that city, 

 April 2, 1872. 



Mr. F. Germain ("Proc. Boston Nat. Hist. Soc." VII. 315) mentions this as one 

 of the birds breeding in Chili, Avhere its common name is Yeco Cuervo. It chooses 

 as a place for its nest the rocks on the sea-coast, or trees which border certain lakes 

 or pools, depositing its eggs in October and November, at Avhich time birds of this 

 species collect in great numbers. Their nests are made of marine or aquatic plants, 

 Avhich after a fcAv days give forth an offensive smell ; the number of eggs in each 

 nest is three or four. 



The observations of Mr. H. Durnford (" Ibis," 1878) confirm the fact of the dis- 

 tribution of this species over all South America. He jnet with it on the Sengel and 

 Sengelen rivers, as well as on the Chupat, in Patagonia, where it was both resident 

 and common. Every evening he observed large flocks ascending the River Chupat 

 for a distance of many miles, the birds flying in from the sea to fish in the river 

 during the night. 



Mr. Dresser mentions finding this Cormorant common near Matamoras during the 

 summer months ; and he also saw at Galveston several birds which he recognized as 

 being Cormorants, and which, as he thought, must belong to this species ; but he did 

 not succeed in procuring any specimens from that locality, although he received two 

 from Fort Stockton. Both Dr. ^Merrill and Mr. Sennett mention the Mexican Cormo- 

 rant as being a common summer resident near Fort Brown. The latter states that 

 it was seen near the fresh-water lagoons up the river, as Avell as about the adjacent 

 salt-ponds and marshes. He did not notice any as high up as Hidalgo ; and although 

 it undoubtedly breeds along the coast, none of its nests were found. The manu- 

 script notes of the late Dr. Berlandier, of IVIatamoras, mention it as being common 

 on the lakes or lagoons of the Gulf coast, and also as having been found on those 

 of Tamiagua, Tuxpau, Puebla, Chairael del Carpentero, etc., and in the marshy places 



