86 Shufeldt, Osteology of Harris's Cormorant. Tist'^'oct 



Comparative Osteology of Harris's Flightless 



Cormorant (Nannopterum harrisi). 



By Dr. R. W. Shufeldt, F.A.O.U., Hon. Member R.A.O.U.. 

 C.M.Z.S., &c., Washington, D.C. 



When Sharpe created the new genus Nannoptenmi to contain 

 Harris's Flightless Cormorant of Narborough Island, of the 

 Galapagos Group, he referred to it as " Phalacrocorax alts 

 brevissimis, quihus minime volar e potest avis inepta."* This 

 appeared in 1899, and three years after we were given the admir- 

 able paper in the Novitates Zoologies by Dr. Hans Gadow on 

 " The Wings and the Skeleton of Phalacrocorax harrisi" (vol. ix., 

 1902, pp. 169-176, Pis. XIV., XV.) In this classical contribution 

 Dr. Gadow makes some extensive comparisons among Cormorants, 

 including Harris's, in the number of primary and secondary 

 feathers in the wings — a matter that does not fall within the scope 

 of the present paper to discuss. 



With respect to the skeleton. Dr. Gadow gives an excellent 

 series of tables, in which all the principal bones of the same have 

 been compared by accurate measurements (millimeters) with the 

 corresponding ones in skeletons of P. nielanoleuciis, P. bicristatus, 

 P. novce-hollandicF, P. carbo, P. carboides, P. variiis, and P. 

 cristatus.-f 



There is, however, very little comparative descriptive osteology 

 in Dr. Gadow's contribution to the study of the skeleton of 

 Nannopterum harrisi, while his instructive figures of the bones 

 of that Cormorant, on the two plates, are diagrammatic rather 

 than actually representative of what they are called. Such parts 

 of the skeleton as the skull, the vertelDral column, pelvis, and 

 pelvic hmbs are not figured at all. On the other hand, his dis- 

 cussion of the effects upon the skeleton of the pectoral limb, and 

 the primary and secondary feathers of the wings, due to an 

 abrogation of the power of flight, is most interesting. 



In regard to this he says, with respect to the skeleton of the 

 arm, that " Change in the power of flight is above all correlated 

 with increased length or shortening of the forearm. Next, the 

 hand is affected, last of all the humerus. A much degenerated 

 hand-skeleton is a sign of extreme reduction " (loc. cit., p. 172). 



Other points chscussed by Dr. Gadow will be taken up here in 

 connection with the various parts of the skeleton to which they 



* Sharpe, R. B., "Hand-list of Birds," vol. i., p. 235. In this place he 

 also invites attention to the following literature : — Phalacrocorax, Rothsch., 

 Bull. B.O.C., vii., p. lii., 1897 ; Ogilvie Grant, "Cat. Birds," xxvi., p. 655, 

 1898 ; also Rothsch., loc. cit., p. 655, for A', harrisi. 



•f In Sharpe's " Hand-list," vol. i., pp. 232-234, I fail to find of this list 

 P. noves-hnllaiidicB {Plotus novce-hollaridicB ?), P. carboides, or P. cristatxis ; 

 the remaining four species are well-known forms. Skeletons of other 

 species, not included in his tables, were before him. as P. albivevter, P. 

 nraculus, P. filamentosus, P. hicidus, P. caprnsis, P. (^aimardi. and one fic 

 calls P. hrasiliensis. 



