PHALACROCORACID.E PHALACROCORAX 9 



Island in July, by myself, and in October by Fairbridge, and on 

 Jutten Island by myself in September, so doing. The nest is quite 

 different to that of the Trek Duiker ; it is formed entirely- oi 

 seaweeds algae, polyzoa, and hydroids, matted together into a flat 

 cushion, and placed, usually several together, on a smooth rock close 

 to the sea. The eggs, usually two, sometimes three, in number, are 

 of the usual Cormorant type, pale blue overlaid with a chalky white 

 covering ; they are larger than those of the Trek Duiker, and 

 average 2-50 x 1'60, but vary considerably in length. 



This bird is extraordinarily tame when nesting, or perhaps 

 fearlessly attached to its nest, and will often remain there until 

 caught by the hand. It has a loud, melancholy cry to which it 

 gives vent when disturbed. , , 



567. Phalacrocorax africanus. Reed Duiker. 



Pelicanus africanus, Gmel., Syst. Nat. i, p. 577 (1788). 

 Carbo africanoides, Smith, Rep. Exped. C. Afr. p. 57 (1836). 

 Graculus coronatns, Wahlberg, Oefvers. K. Vet. Akad. Forh. StocJeh. 



1855, p. 214. 

 Phalacrocorax africanus, Gurney, Ibis, 1862, p. 154 ; Kirk, Ibis, 1864, 



p. 338; Dresser, B. Eitr. p. 169, pi. 390 (1876) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1880, p. 



273, 1884, p. 233 ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 781 (1884) ; 



Fleck, Journ. Ornith. 1894, p. 379; W. L. Sclater, Ibis, 1896, p. 



521, 1904, p. 85 ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 160 (1896) ; Grant, Cat. B. M. 



xxvi, p. 407 (1898) ; Woodward Bros., Natal B. p. 204 (1899) ; 



Marshall, Ibis, 1900, p. 270 ; Alexander, Ibis] 1900, p. 441 ; 



Reichenow, Vog. Afr. i. p. 93 (1900) ; Hellmayr, Journ. Ornith. 



1902, p. 236 [Pienaars Kiver] ; Oates, Cat. B. Eggs, ii, p. 207 (1902). 

 Graculus africanus, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 38 L (1867); Gurney, Ibis, 



1868, p. 264 ; Layard, Ibis, 1869, pp. 77, 377 ; Gurney, in Andersson's 



B. Damaral p. 370 (1872) ; Barratt, Ibis, 1876, p. 214 ; Ayres, Ibis, 



1877, p. 354; Butler, Feilden and Held, Zool. 1882, p. 429; Holub 



d Pelzeln, Orn. Siid-Afr. p. 341 (1882). 

 " Crown Duiker " and " Long- tailed Cormorant " of some authors. 



Description. Adult in breeding plumage. General colour 

 throughout glossy black ; the scapulars and coverts bronzy grey 

 bordered with black, the quills also slightly washed with greyish, 

 but not black-edged : a few white plumelets about the sides of the 

 face and neck, and on the forehead a tuft of rather upstanding 

 black feathers forming a kind of crest. Tail of twelve feathers. 



Iris bright red ; bill chrome* yellow, a little dusky on the ridge 

 and more or less barred ; bare skin of face yellow ; legs black. 



o it 



