CORMORANTS 73 



whitish ; head and back of neck brownish, changing into brownish gray on 

 back ; lower belly black. To be told in all plumages from the following by 

 having fourteen tail feathers. Wing 13.00 to 14.00 ; culmen 2.50. 



Geog. Dist. — Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic, on the American 

 shore in winter south as far as the Carolinas (casually) ; now breeding from 

 the Bay of Fundy northward, but formerly said to have nested as far south 

 as Massachusetts. 



County Records. — Cumberland; apparently a common winter resident, 

 (Brown, C. B. P. p. 33). Hancock; winter bird among the outer islands, 

 (Knight). Knox; winter, (Rackliff). Penobscot; accidental, one shot at 

 Chemo Pond in October, 1896, by Mr. Mudgett of Orono, (Knight). Saga- 

 dahoc; a few from fall to spring, (Spinney). Waldo; winter visitor, 

 (Knight). Washington; not abundant, (Boardman). 



The Cormorants are to be found along our coast from 

 October to May, though most general in the extreme winter 

 months. Though they possibly nested along the coast many 

 years ago, there are no recent nesting records. In Labrador 

 and Newfoundland they nest in colonies, making rude nests of 

 sticks and seaweed on shelves of cliffs along the shores and on 

 rocky islands. Three eggs taken in Labrador, June 19, 1884, 

 are bluish white, covered with a chalky layer, and measure 2.44 

 X 1.49, 2.46 X 1.47, 2.40 x 1.47. Three to six eggs may be 

 laid. The birds are great lovers of fish and consume large 

 numbers, often taking them to their nests and leaving uncon- 

 sumed portions to rot in the sun. The odor of a Cormorant 

 rookery must be experienced to comprehend it. The general 

 habits of this species are so similar to those of the Double- 

 crested species that the account under that species will prove 

 sufficient. 



120. Phalacrocorax dilophus (Swain.). Double-crested 

 Cormorant, 



Plumage in summer adults : a tuft of lengthened ciu-ved black feathers on 

 each side of head behind the eye ; back, scapulars and wing coverts gray 

 brown, margined with black on each feather ; otherwise glossy black above 

 and below ; gular sack orange. Plumage in winter adults : head tufts want- 

 ing, otherwise not greatly different. Immature plumage : sides of head and 

 f oreneck grayish or whitish growing lighter on breast and darker to black on 

 the belly; back, scapulars and wing coverts grayish brown, feathers black mar- 

 gined ; top of head and adjoining neck blackish brown ; rump black. To be 



