BIEDS OF EGYPT. 295 



greater wing-coverts, and -tail dark brown ; remainder of the 

 plumage white ; beak yellow ; legs slaty grey ; irides yellow. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Australia, vol. vii. pi. 77. 



319. Phalacrocorax carbo (Linn.). Cormorant. 



The Common Cormorant is very plentiful throughout 

 Egypt, especially in the Fayoom ; and I have shot as many as 

 twenty in one evening during their flight from the lake to 

 their roosting-place in the rocks, where I believe they breed. 

 On the Nile they are more plentiful in the winter than later 

 in the season. 



Entire plumage deep glossy green, with the following 

 exceptions : — part of the pouch which is without feathers 

 greenish blue ; a white crescent-shaped patch on each side of 

 the head, covering the cheeks, joining underneath and coming 

 to a point on the pouch ; feathers on the head and neck more 

 or less white according to age ; centres of the feathers on 

 the upper part of the back, wing-coverts, and secondaries 

 paler, and of a brownish hue ; a patch of pure white on the 

 flanks ; legs black ; beak black on the culmen and tip, 

 shading off to yellow on the remainder of the bill ; irides 

 green. The younger birds have no white on the head and 

 neck, and have the breast more or less white. 



Entire length 36 inches ; culmen 3 ; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 13"5 ; tarsus ]'5. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Em-, pi. 407. 



320. Phalacrocorax pygm.eus, Temm. Little Cormorant. 

 The only locality in which I found this bird was the 



