DWARF SHAG. 487 



rounded and of a dull black. Base of the bill, and the very small 

 gular pouch, of a fine yellow. Bill brown. Feet black. The iris 

 green. 



DWARF SHAG. 



(Phalacrocorax pygmceus, Dumont. Bonap. Synops. No. 356. Pel- 

 ecaniis pygmceus, Pallas. Reise, ii. p. 712. t. G. Gmel. Syst. i. 

 p. 574. sp. 19. Lath. Ind. ii. sp. 25. Le Cormoran pygmde, Sonn. 

 Nouv. Edit, de Buff. Ois. xxiv. p. 77.) 



Sp. Charact. — Bill IJ inches long, shorter than the head ; tail long, 

 cuneiform, of 12 feathers 3 scapulars long and subulate. — Adult 

 black, slightly glossed with green ; eyebrows dotted with white ; 

 orbits and pouch black. No crest in summer, the head, neck and 

 thighs, finely streaked with white. The young blackish, beneath 

 whitish ; the orbits and pouch yellowish. 



As a native of the United States and of the northern 

 parts of America we introduce this species on the authority 

 of the Prince of Musignano, who reports it from seeing one 

 reputed specimen of native origin. It is probably a mere 

 straggler on the Atlantic coast, but from its occurrence in 

 Asiatic Russia, may more probably be expected on the west- 

 ern side of America. It is seen about the Caspian Sea, and 

 other parts of Russia, is common in Hungary, on the banks 

 of the Danube ; but rare in Austria and the contiguous parts 

 of Germany. 



The length of this small species is only about 22 inches. The adult 

 in winter has all the plumage of the upper parts of the body of an 

 ashy black, each feather being narrowly bordered round with glossy 

 black. Neck and lower parts greenish-black. Some very small white 

 spots on the eyebrows. Bill, orbits, and small gular nudity deep 

 black. Feet blackish-ash. 



