NATATORES. 489 



corax carbo of Europe. Altliougli enjoying a wide range over 

 the southern part of the country, it is nowhere so abundant 

 as in Tasmania. In this island it not only inhabits all the 

 bays and inlets of the sea, but it also ascends the large 

 rivers even to the lakes jn the middle of the island, on seve- 

 ral of which it breeds. In Western AustraUa it is tolerably 

 abundant at King George's Sound ; it also ascends the Swan, 

 and is sometimes observed far up the Murray. In South 

 Australia and New South Wales it frequents similar localities, 

 and I killed several while perched on the high gum-trees on 

 various parts of the Hunter. It is, however, so shy and wary 

 that it is very difficult to get within shot of it : when flying 

 it frequently mounts in circles until nearly out of sight. 



Its habits, manners and mode of life are so precisely simi- 

 lar to those of the Common Cormorant of Europe that a de- 

 scription of them would be superfluous. Its chief food as a 

 matter of course consists of fish. 



It lays two bluish white eggs, about two inches and a half 

 long by one inch and three-quarters broad, on a nest composed 

 of sea-weed and other marine vegetables placed on the ledge 

 of a rock. 



This fine bird weighs from six to seven pounds. 



In summer the adult male has the throat and sides of the 

 face bufFy white ; crown of the head, lengthened plumes at the 

 occiput, neck, all the under surface, rump and tail deep glossy 

 blackish green ; feathers of the back, wings, and upper part 

 of the flanks chocolate, broadly margined with deep glossy 

 blackish green ; neck ornamented with numerous fine white 

 feathers ; a patch of white feathers is also situated on the 

 outer side of each thigh ; irides green ; bare skin round the eye 

 and under the throat rich yellow ; feet jet black ; culmen and 

 tips of both mandibles horn-colour ; remainder of the bill 

 fleshy white. 



Total length 34 inches j bill 4 ; wing 13 J ; tail 8 ; tarsi 2^. 



In winter the plumage is precisely similar, with this excep- 



