94 CORMORANTS. 



Family Phalacrocoracid^. Cormorants. 



Cormorants are found in all parts of the world. Ten of the thirty- 

 known species inhabit North America. As a rule they are maritime, 

 but they also frequent bodies of fresh water far from the seacoast. 

 They are gregarious at all times of the year and breed in large colo- 

 nies. Their flight is strong and ducklike, but, except when migrat- 

 ing, is generally not far above the surface of the water. They secure 

 their food of fish by pursuing it under water, their hooked bill assist- 

 ing them in its capture. Unlike the Gannets, they do not dive from 

 the air, but from the water or a low perch. 



119. Phalacrocorax carbo (Linn.). Cormorant; Shag. (See 

 Fig. 10.) Ad. in breeding plumage. — Region about the base of the lower man- 

 dible white or whitish ; head, upper neck, and throat glossy black, thickly 

 sprinkled with white ; rest ot the neck, under parts, and rump glossy black ; 

 a white patch on the flanks ; upper back, scapulars, and wing-coverts light 

 olive-brown, each feather bordered by glossy black ; tail black, composed of 

 fourteen feathers. Ad. in winter. — Similar, but without white on the head. 

 Im. — Top of the head and hind neck brownish black ; upper back, scapulars, 

 and wing-coverts grayish brown, the feathers bordered by blackish ; rump 

 glossy black; throat and breast grayish brown, clianging to white on the 

 belly; sides and under tail-coverts glossy black. L., 36-00; W., 14-00; T., 

 7-00; B., 3-00. 



Range. — " Coasts of the North Atlantic, south in winter on the coast of 

 the United States casually to the Carolinas" (A. O. U.). Breeds from the 

 Bay of Fundy to northern Greenland. 



Long Island, regular T. V. in limited numbers. 



A'es^, of sticks and seaweed, in colonies generally on the ledges of rocky 

 cliffs. Eggs., four to six, pale bluish white, more or less overlaid with a chalky 

 deposit, 2-50 x 1-50. 



This northern species is of uncommon occurrence on our coast 

 south of its breeding range. 



120. Phalacrocorax dilophus {Stv. and Bich.). Dovble-crested 

 CoKMfiRANT. Ad. in hreeding plmnage.^Read, neck, rump, and under parts 

 glossy black ; upper back, scapulars, and wing-coverts light grayish brown, 

 each feather margined with glossy black ; tail black, composed of twelve feath- 

 ers ; a tuft of black feathers on either side of the head. Ad. in winter.— 

 Similar, but without tufts on the head, /m.— Top of the head and back of 

 the neck blackish brown ; upper back, scapulars, and wing-coverts brownish 

 gray, each feather margined with black ; rump glossy black ; sides of the 

 head and fore neck grayish white, whiter on the breast and changing gradu- 

 ally to black on the lower belly. L., 30-00 ; W., 12-50 ; T., 6-20 ; B., 2-30. 



Range. — Eastern North America, breeding from Dakota, and the Bay of 

 Fundy northward; winters from southern Illinois and Virginia southward. 

 Washington, casual, several records. Long Island, common T. V.. Apl. 



