480 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 50. 



Taczanowski, were wanting. These white marks were noted, how- 

 ever, in examples observed at Pisco in June, 1907. 



PHALACROCORAX GAIMARDI (Garnot). 



THE SCARLET-FOOT CORMORANT OR "PATILLO." 



The patillo, P. gaimurdi, though less familiar to the landsmen, is 

 a not less common cormorant than the preceding. To anyone 

 navigating in small boats along shore or among the islands the 

 patillo is a familiar feature of the seascape. One meets them floating 

 lazily yet watchfully on the water, occasionally flapping wings or 

 ducking beneath the surface as enjoying a bath, or making a sudden 

 dive for prey to come up with a fish or a wriggling eel, which is 

 swallowed only after a little struggle. They seem to be peculiarly 

 successful eel catchers, as I have many times seen them with such 

 prey. This species bears many local names. Among them are 

 "pato de mar" (sea duck), "chuita," and "chiquitoy"; besides that 

 of "patillo" (little duck). 



Their flight is characteristic — low and straight. The appearance 

 of intentness in flight is accentuated by the series of three conspicu- 

 ous streaks in series; the orange and red bill, the white neck stripe, 

 and the scarlet legs and feet lying straight back beneath the tail. 

 The whole manner is that of one with predetermined com'se eagerly 

 seeking a certain destination. I never saw one turn its head aside, 

 as the swift gannet will do to investigate an observer. A very 

 sUght bend of the neck is sufficient for reconnoissance or for deter- 

 mining a change of course. Their short wings make fhght a more 

 strenuous and absorbing affair than for the gannet. Thus, as I 

 have counted them, the wing strokes of the patillo, a minute, are 

 from 250 to 300, as against 160 to 170 for the gannet, 150 to 190 for 

 gulls of different species, and 140 to 150 for the pelican. 



The home of the patillo is on the bold cliffs (pi. 65) and in the 

 caverns, and the body color would give effective concealment against 

 the rocky walls except for the brighter markings of the legs and the 

 neck of the adults. As one approaches an apparently bare rocky 

 wall rising above the surf, small bright red spots in pairs with three 

 or four rays may be distinguished against the gray background of the 

 rocks. If low down, they may easily be mistaken for star-fishes or 

 the red-legged crabs left by the tide, but these are the legs and feet 

 of the patillo. When one is a little closer a white spot is made out 

 some distance above the red. The eye and the imagination may 

 then fill out the form of the bird between the white neck stripes and 

 the scarlet feet. The young birds against a rocky wall are almost 

 indistinguishable even when one knows the exact location of the nest 

 (pi. 65, fig. 2). When in flight, the bright skin colors and the neck 



