852 'I'lll': \ loI.ET-r.RKKX CORATOKANT. 



No. 34,?. 



VIOLET-GREEN CORMORANT. 



A. (). V. No. 123. Phalacrocorax pelagicus Tall. 



Synonyms. — Pelagic Chu.mor.wt. Shag. 



Description. — .Idiilts hi breeding phiiiiayc: C.cncral coloration deep lustrous 

 bottle-grieu with purplish reflections; head and neck all around shining violet with 

 steel-blue changes, a few lanceolate white feathers j^rojecting at random from 

 sides of head and neck: a prominent flank-patcli pure white: frontal and occipital 

 feathers lengthened, producing two crests, of which frontal more prominent; 

 frontal feathering reaching culnien, but eyelids and space below e}e bare; gular 

 sac reduced in area, dull coral-red. Hill and feet bluish-black; iris bright red. 

 .Idiilts after breediiiij seasmi arc without crests, plumules, or flank-patches. 

 Youitii birds are plain sooty l.dack above, lighter, or whitening centrally, below. 

 NcstHinjs hatched naked, soon acquiring sooty gray down. Length 25.00-29.00 

 (635-736.6) ; wing lo.oo-ii.oo (254-279.4) ; tail (1.00-7.00 ( 152. 4-177. 8) ; bill 2.00 

 ( 50.8 ) ; tarsus 2.00 ( 50.8 ). 



Recognition Mari<s. — Brant size : white flank-jiatches in breeding season 

 ( but bird occurs in Washington in winter onl)- ? ) : lustrous green and violet 

 plumage distinctive for all save following form; larger. 



Nesting. — Nest: chiefly of compacted eel-grass, cemented with excrement, 

 placed on narrow ledge or u])on rock boss of sea wall. Eggs: 4, jjale bluish green 

 with irregiflar calcareous covering, elongate ovate to cylindrical ovate. .Av. size, 

 2.30 X 1.40 (58.4x35.6). Season: June; one brood. 



General Range. — Coast and islands of the North Pacific: on the Asiatic side 

 south to the Kuriles and japan : on the .American side breeding miuiIi to \ancouver 

 Island: south in winter t' ' i'uget Sound. 



Range in Washington. — Winter visitors on Puget Sound and connected 

 waters. 



Authorities. — C'raculiis liolacens. ('.ray, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IN. 

 1858. p. 882, part ( w^inter specimen ). Rh. Kb. Kk. 



Specimens. — ( U. of W. ) Prov. C. 



\'10LET-C.I\1\1{N describes the characteristic sheen of the plumage in 

 both f^elaglens and rcsl^lciidcns; but by cnnunnn cniisent the name as a dis- 

 tincti\e mark li:is been reserved fiir the larger birds of the North. Our 

 breeding l)inls are really intergrades in size, but they are decidedly smaller 

 than those which descend uiion our coasts in winter; and on the whole it 

 would seem wiser to regard the Forty-ninth Parallel, or even the northern 

 end of \^ancouver Island, as the dividing line between the two torms, 

 ratlier than the mouth of the C<ilunibia River, as has formerly been the 

 custom. 



