250 BULLETIN 121, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Winter. — As soon as the young birds are large enough to fly they 

 gather into great flocks and prepare for the fall migration, which 

 begins in August. They are deliberate in their movements, loitering 

 along the coast for two or three months. In Massachusetts the main 

 flight passes between the middle of September and the first of No- 

 vember. The south Atlantic and gulf coasts are the principal winter 

 resorts of the double-crested cormorants, where they mingle with their 

 close relatives, the Florida cormorants, and lead a similar roving life. 



On the North Carolina coast Mr. T. Gilbert Pearson (1919) says 

 that this is the common cormorant in winter and that " as evening 

 comes they congregate in flocks of from ten to forty individuals, and 

 in solid ranks, go flying low over the water to some favorite ' lump ' 

 of shell or small sandy island on which to roost." Once he " dug a 

 hole in the shells of a miniature island, where, lying concealed, he 

 was enabled to watch unobserved the hundreds of cormorants which 

 came there to roost. Without exception the flocks all pitched in the 

 water a short distance away, and later swam leisurely ashore." 



Mr. Arthur T. Wayne (1910) says that, on the coast of South 

 Carolina, " every afternoon these birds fly out to sea to pass the night, 

 and at break of day flock after flock may be seen returning to the 

 tidal creeks and sounds in quest of food." 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Breeding range. — Temperate North America, east of the Rocky 

 Mountains. East to the Gulf of St. Lawrence (from Cape Whittle to 

 Perce Eock). South to the coast of Maine (Penobscot Bay), west 

 central Ohio (near Celina, formerly at least), central Illinois 

 (Havanna and Persia, on Illinois River), northeastern Arkansas 

 (Walker Lake, Mississippi County), central northern Wyoming 

 (Buffalo), and northern Utah (Great Salt Lake). West to above 

 point and south central Alberta (Buffalo Lake). North to central 

 Mackenzie (Great Slave Lake), central Manitoba (Lake Winni- 

 pegosis) and James Bay. Utah records may refer to alhociUatus or 

 the two forms may intergrade here. Breeding grounds protected in 

 the following reservations : In Quebec, Perce Rock ; in North Dakota, 

 Stump Lake ; and in Arkansas, Walker Lake. 



Winter range. — Mainly on tlie Atlantic and Gulf coasts from New 

 Jersey to northern Florida and Louisiana. Has been recorded as 

 far north in winter as eastern Maine (Calais) and Michigan 

 (Grosse Isle). 



Spring migration. — Northward along the coast and throughout the 

 interior. Early dates of arrival : New York, Long Beach, March 

 31; Massachusetts, Plymouth County, March 26; Quebec, Godbout, 

 May 19 ; Illinois, Mount Carmel, March 1-7 ; Michigan, x\nn Arbor, 



