520 PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS: ZOOLOGY. 



This cormorant appears to be common on the coast of Patagonia as far 

 north as the mouth of the Santa Cruz River, in which vicinity the birds 

 were found by Mr. Hatcher and his assistants. They met with the birds 

 in the non-breeding period and were fortunate to preserve specimens at 

 that season. 



It appears that the bird called Phalacrocorax caruncidatus by Dr. Cun- 

 ningham (Nat. Hist. Strts. Magell., 1871, p. 271) was this bird, and his 

 admirable description of its breeding on Santa Magdalena Island, not far 

 from Elizabeth Island, in the Straits, is here appended. 



"The most remarkable spectacle, however, was still to come. Pursuing 

 our way over the island, we ere long reached some large hollows, which 

 cormorants [Phalacrocorax carnnciilatiis) had adopted as breeding-places. 

 The birds were there congregated in their nests literally in thousands, 

 forming a dense black mass covering a space of many yards ; and, on 

 being disturbed, rose into the air in a cloud, winnowing it with their 

 wings so as to produce a sound resembling that of a strong breeze 

 blowing, and almost concealing the heavens from view ; while a number 

 of skua gulls, associated with them, gave vent to a tumult of discordant 

 cries. Their nests were regularly shaped flattened mounds, slightly exca- 

 vated on the upper surface, and ranged in almost mathematical series, 

 exactly a foot of space intervening between each nest. They were formed 

 of dried grass and other herbage baked into a solid mass with earth and 

 guano ; and the generality contained from one to three greenish-white eggs 

 about the size of that of a domestic fowl, and with a rough chalky surface." 

 (Nat. Hist. Str. Magell. 1871, pp. 271-272.) 



M. J. Nicoll says: "This fine cormorant is the most abundant of the 

 genus in Magellan Straits and Smythe's Channel. I saw numbers at 

 every anchorage. As a rule, the birds fly together in flocks." (Ibis, Jan., 

 1904, p. 48.) 



Phalacrocorax albiventer (Lesson). 



Carbo albiventer, Less. Traite d'Orn. p. 604 (1831 : Falkland Islands); 



Puch. Rev. et. Mag. de Zool. 150, p. 627. 

 Phalacrocorax cirrJiatus, Gray (nee Cm.) List B. Brit. Mus. part iii. p. 186 



pt. (1844: Falkland Isl.: Port St. Julian, Patagonia). 

 Graculus cirrhatus, Gray (nee Gm.), Voy. Erebus & Terror, B. p. 19 



(1845). 

 Graculus albiventer, Des Murs in Gay's Hist. Chil. Zool. I. p. 491 (1B47). 



