NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 6 



are taken it returns to sit on the nest as if nothing had happened. While one 

 Cormorant is sitting, its mate brings it small fish to eat. This applies to the three 

 species. I have seen in a rookery of Brandt's Cormorant many little fish scattered 

 about the nest, which the Western Gulls were endeavoring, with some success, to 

 make away with. While watching the Gulls the Cormorants must keep an eye on 

 each other, for sometimes one bird will steal the nesting material of another. The 

 nests are coarsely constructed. In the rookery here referred to they were of Faral- 

 lone weed, alyac and sea moss. Some varieties of the moss were pulled up, I believe, 

 by the birds from under the water, and it occurred to me at the time that a col- 

 lector of sea moss could not do better than visit a Cormorant rookery." The eggs 

 are three, usually four, sometimes five in number, light greenish-blue, with a 

 chalky deposit on the surface. They measure as small as 56x38 mm., and as large 

 as 66.5x38 mm.* 



123. PELAGIC CORMORANT. Phalacrocorax pelagicus Pall, Geog. Dist. 

 Aleutian and Kurile Islands, and Kamtschatka, south to Japan. 



This beautiful Cormorant is abundant in the Aleutian and Kurile Islands and 

 those along the coast of Kamtschatka, where it breeds. Dr. Leonhard Stejneger 

 says it is a very abundant resident of Copper and Bering Islands, breeding on all 

 the most rugged and steep promontories which rise immediately from the sea, as 

 well as on the outlying islets and stones. Eggs, three or four in number. Three 

 eggs collected at Bering Island, June 8, exhibit the following dimensions: 56 07 

 37.5, 53 by 37, 5D by 35 mm.f Two from Copper Island, taken July 14, measure 59 

 by 34.75, 58 by 35, mm.J The color and general characteristics of the eggs do not 

 differ from those of other cormorants. 



123a. VIOLET-GREEN CORMORANT. Plialacrocorax pelagicus robustus 

 Ridgw. Geog. Dist. Coast of Alaska. 



On the rocky coasts and islands of Alaska the Violet-green Cormorant is very 

 abundant. Here it nests on the ledges and projections of high cliffs, making the 

 nests of sea-weed, grasses and aquatic plants, which are cemented together with the 

 excrement of the bird. In all respects its general habits, nesting and eggs, are 

 similar to those .of the Pelagic Cormorant. The average size of the eggs is 2.25 

 by 1.45. 



123&. BAIRD'S CORMORANT. Plialacrocorax pelagicus resplendens (Aud.) 

 Geog. Dist. Pacific coast of North America, from Cape St. Lucas north to Washing- 

 ton Territory. 



On the Farallones this species is less common than Plialacrocorax dilopJnut 

 albociliatus or P. penicillatus. The nests are built more frequently on inaccessible 

 places. The same rookeries are used each season, the birds repairing the nests by 

 adding a few pieces of weed or sea kelp. Colonies of eight or ten pairs nest on the 

 shelves of perpendicular or overhanging rocks. v The birds will occupy the same 

 nest after being robbed, and setting commences after the first egg is laid, in order 

 to protect it from the gulls. Mr. Emerson says that by June the birds have begun to 

 deposit their eggs, which are three or four in number, pale greenish-blue in color, 

 with the usual chalky coating. Mr. Bryant states that the eggs of Baird's Cor- 



* 2.20x1.50, 2.62x1.50 inches. 



t 2.20x1.48, 2.09x1.45, 2.32x1.46 inches. 



t 2.33x1.37, 2.28x1.38 inches. 



