232 BIRDS OF BRITISH BITRMAH. 



throat ; a broad black streak from the eye extending over the ear-coverts 

 and descending to form a collar next to the white throat-band ; remainder 

 of the head, the throat for abont two inches below the black band, the 

 sides of the neck and the back of the neck to about six inches from the 

 forehead white mixed with greenish black, all the feathers short and 

 sharp-pointed ; remainder of the neck, the whole lower plumage, the back, 

 rump, upper tail-coverts and tail deep black, glossed with blue and purple ; 

 the shoulders, scapulars and upper wing-coverts bronze, each feather 

 broadly margined with black ; coverts to primaries and the whole of the 

 quills black, glossed with bronze; under wing-coverts glossy black; a 

 large white patch on the outside of the thighs. 



In the nonbreeding -plumage the white thigh-patch is absent, and the 

 whole lower plumage becomes much mixed with white in varying degrees, 

 some birds having much more white than others. 



Iris green; eyelids and the lores dusky yellow; skin of throat and jaws 

 bright yellow, or black profusely spotted with yellow ; skin under the eye 

 orange ; legs and claws black ; upper mandible and tip of the lower dark 

 brown ; remainder of the lower mandible white, varying to pale pink. 



Length 32 inches, tail (of fourteen feathers) 7'2, wing 13'3, tarsus 2'3, 

 bill from gape 3*8. The female is of about the same size. 



The white thigh-patch is assumed from about the first of September to 

 the middle of December, and is common to both the sexes. 



The Large Cormorant is very abundant throughout the low plains of 

 Southern Pegu. It occurs in all the other parts of Burmah, but is of 

 comparatively rare occurrence. 



It is met with in nearly every portion of Asia, Europe, Africa and 

 Australia, and it ranges to the eastern coast of North America. 



The Large Cormorant is found in large flocks, frequenting tanks, lakes 

 and rivers, in the latter preferentially above tidal influence. It is a 

 constant resident in Burmah, their numbers being, however, considerably 

 reduced in the dry weather, some of the birds apparently migrating else- 

 where as the streams and ponds dry up. I found immense numbers of 

 this Cormorant breeding at Myitkyo, at the head of the Canal, in October. 

 The nests, made of twigs, weeds and stalks of grass, were placed on trees 

 growing in the water. The eggs, four or five in number, are very long 

 and narrow, dull white in colour and very chalky in texture. 



These Cormorants associate in large flocks and feed entirely on fish. 

 They spend most of their time in the water, swimming with the whole 

 body submerged and catching each fish by pursuing it under water. 

 When resting on land they have the habit of partially expanding their 

 wings, presenting a remarkable appearance. They fly with great speed, 

 but they are reluctant to take to wing. 



