7O GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
BREEDING Nores.—The nest is usually placed ona ledge of 
some bold-faced rock; in some instances about forty feet above 
the sea. It is large, built of sea-weed, a few grass stalks, and an 
abundance of its own excrement. The eggs number three or four, 
blue, of pale shade, to white in colour. (Zwrner.) 
123a. Violet-green Cormorant. 
Phalacrocorax pelagicus robustus RipGw. 1884. 
An abundant resident on the coast of British Columbia, taken 
as far north as Port Simpson; it breeds on the islands close to 
Sidney island, about fifteen miles from Victoria. (a@nnin.) This 
is the most abundant cormorant in Alaska. It occurs everywhere 
on the coast of Norton sound to Sitka, and breeds on almost every 
rocky promontory. (JVe/son.) This species is very common near 
the entrance to St. Michael. (Zurner.) 
Breeding abundantly on the more exposed outlying islands at 
Sitka, Alaska. The immature birds and others not breeding 
remained in flocks about the rocks and reefs furtherinland. The 
nests were usually situated on the shelves of rock on the perpen- 
dicular sides of the islands. I noted a row of 15 nests in a single 
transverse crevice on the face of a promontory. The nests are deep 
saucer-shaped and compactly made of grass and turf. The eggs 
are 2 to 4 in number, oftener 3. ; 
Two adult females taken at Nutchuk, Prince William sound, 
Alaska. (Grinnell.) 
124. Red-faced Cormorant. 
Phalacrocorax urile (GMEL.) RipGw. 1884. 
This is a resident species on the Pribilof islands. It is a more 
or less common summer resident on St. Matthew and St.Lawrence 
islands as well as upon all the cliffs on both shores of Bering strait 
and the islands in the strait. (/Ve/son.) A single specimen of this 
bird was obtained at St. Michael. I did not see it elsewhere. 
( Zurner.) 
BREEDING Nores.—This species is the earliest of the birds in 
Bering sea to lay its eggs. Two eggs from a bed on “the reef,’ 
St. Paul island June Ist, 1872, nearly hatched, which is nearly 
ee 
