268 ZOOLOGY. 



violet blue ; smaller wing coverts violet ; primaries brownish black, as are the other quills on their inner webs ; tail and shafts 

 black ; the entire plumage very lustrous and silky in appearance ; dispersed over the neck and on the sides of the body near the 

 thighs are numerous short white piliform feathers which expand at the end in the form of a small brush ; gular sac and bare 

 space about the eye orange ; feathers of the throat extend upon the lower part of the gular sac for about half its length, 

 and terminate in a point; upper mandible blackish brown, lower dusky yellow; legs and feet black ; iris greenish brown. 

 Female brown . 



Length, 28 inches ; alar extent, 41 ; wing, 10.50 ; tail, 6.25; bill, 2 ; tarsus, 1.90 ; outer toe and claw, 3.75. 



Hah. — Western coast of North America, California, Washington Territory. 



The only specimen of this brilHant cormorant 1 obtained at the same place where Townsend 

 got his in 1834 — the extreme point of Cape Disappointment. While in that vicinity, 

 in July, 1853, I watched for them particularly for several days, and though there were 

 plenty of G. dUoplms in the river, I never saw one of these within the cape. But, sitting 

 on the summit of that beautiful promontory one day, admiring a view unsurpassed by any in 

 the world, I observed, three hundred feet below, in a little cove, sheltered from the breakers 

 by some rocks, a bird fishing, which I knew must be the long-sought cormorant. I at once 

 descended, and, obtaning a skiff with its side stove in, I went with the obliging light-house 

 keeper and his assistant, who rowed round to the outside of this remarkable cape. The distance 

 was only about 300 j'ards, and, until we suddenly turned the sharp outer point, the water was 

 smooth as a mill-pond. Scarcely had we turned this point, when, suddenly, a flock of perhaps 

 two hundred flew from the rocky ledges, and, circling round our boat, retired to a distant part 

 of the cliffs. The swell was so violent here that it was impossible to take any aim, and after 

 some useless shots, I returned. Next day we went round again, and by getting out on a ledge, 

 before they all flew, I succeeded in shooting one. I found it to be a young bird, of course, 

 incomplete in plumage at this season, and did not attempt to get any more. Townsend' s 

 specimen nearly cost him his own life and that of six men, so violently does the sea dash, 

 usually, against these rocks. At the time of my visit it was unusually smooth. Afterwards, 

 sailing out of the river, I observed numbers of them fishing some distance out. Many had the 

 flanks marked by a large patch of white, probably distinguishing the adult birds. Others 

 appeared different, and may have been the P. jierspicillatus, a species common on the coast 

 of California and also of Russian America. At the cape there was no sign of their having had 

 nests nor places suitable for them. They prefer rocky islands, separated from the shore, which 

 several kinds of water birds frequent, in incredible numbers, near the Straits of De Fuca and 

 along the coast of California. As no such occur anywhere near the mouth of the Columbia, T 

 had no opportunity of visiting these interesting nurseries. They probably only visit Cape 

 Disappointment during their migrations.^ — C. 



Note. — A curious bird. — Colonel Fitzhugh and Mr. Reed, of Bellingham bay, Washington 

 Territory, informed me that during the winter of 1854-55 a very strange "duck" was 

 obtained by them on the bay near the coal mines. 



According to the remembrances of the above named gentlemen it was of about the size of a 

 small goose, or between that of a brant and a mallard. Its general color was of a rich cream; 

 tail dark. The bill and feet, to the best of their recollections, resembled those of a duck. 

 The forehead had a red streak on each side, and from the back of the head there were long 

 elongated, greenish-Uack feathers, falling down gracefull}^ to the right and left. 



The bird was very tame, and allowed itself to be stoned for some time. It then rose and 

 flew a short distance, when, again alighting on the icaler, it was approached and killed with a 

 gun. 



