268 BULLETIN 121, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



containing the larger young were trampled down. Two typical, untrampled 

 nests yielded the following measurements : Outer diameter 22 by 19, inner 

 diameter 10 by 10, depth 4 by 4, height 5i by 7. 



Not many fish were lying about the nests. There were too many hungry 

 mouths to be filled for a store to accumulate as at Point Carmel rookery. It 

 was evident that sanitary measures were not in vogue, for the decaying bodies 

 of several birds were suffered to remain and add to the almost intolerable 

 stench of the excrement deposits. Quantities of feathers were scattered about 

 and there were myriads of flies. Some of the flies accompanied us in the boat 

 most of the way to Point Pinos, much to our annoyance. 



Referring to this species on the Farallon Islands, Mr. Milton S. 

 Ray (1904) writes: 



Bandt cormorant is the commonest and biggest species of the island cor- 

 morants. Besides the large rookery on the more gradual slopes ou the north 

 side below Main Top Ridge, extending from near the water to well up the 

 hillside, there are large colonies nesting on Saddle Rock and Sugar Loaf. We 

 gained our first view of the rookery on West End when w^e crossed the ridge 

 on the morning of May 30. Right below us, with scarcely foot-space between 

 the nests, was the great city of cormorants. I counted 156 nests; on June 3 

 they had increased to 187, and they were still building. The weeds that trail 

 over the rocks form most of the nest material, and these become more or less 

 dry by the end of May and are easily detached by the birds; in fact a strong 

 wind will frequently rip up a whole mat like bed. In make and size the nests 

 of this species are like those of the preceding. I noticed considerable sea 

 moss among the nest material, which is undoubtedly uprooted by the birds 

 themselves, but it was not in such variety as I had been led to believe. Quar- 

 rels over nest material were of frequent occurrence among the birds of the 

 rookery, but the most arrant robbers came from the settlement on Sugar Loaf, 

 where the weeds do not grow. It was a queer sight to see one of these great 

 lumbering-flighted cormorants come flapping into the colony, and after some 

 opposition succeed and go awkwardly sailing ofC with a long stringing bunch of 

 weeds. 



All day long the great rookery was a scene of activity ; everywhere the pon- 

 derous clumsy birds, usaig to the best of their ability what skill nature had 

 endowed them with, were fashioning their weed-homes, while scores of setting 

 birds ever and anon would rise to stretch their stiffened wings or to greet 

 their mates returning fish-laden from the sea. 



Eggs. — The Brandt cormorant lays from three to six eggs, usually 

 four, and only one brood is raised in a season. The eggs are not 

 distinguishable from those of other cormorants of similar size. The 

 ground color is pale blue or bluish white, which is more or less 

 completely concealed by a white calcareous coating, which becomes 

 very much soiled during the process of incubation. The shape varies 

 from " elongate ovate " to " cylindrical ovate." The measurements 

 of 41 eggs, in the National Museum and the writer's collections, aver- 

 age 62.2 by 38.6 millimeters; the eggs showing the four extremes 

 measure 68.5 by 39.5, 68 by 40.5, 56 by 39, and 61 by 36 milli- 

 meters. 



Plumages. — The young cormorant, when first hatched, is blind and 

 naked, an unattractive object covered with greasy black skin. The 



