BIRDS OF KANSAS. 39 



coast, and on the lagoons and up the rivers that I visited in 

 Central America. 



The nests of the birds are placed on bushes and branches of 

 trees overhanging the water, varying in height from four to 

 thirty feet; they are quite bulky and made of sticks, and lined 

 with leaves, rootlets, moss, etc. Eggs two to four, 2.12x1.34; 

 pale bluish green, with more or less of a white calcareous cov- 

 ering; in form, ovate. A set of two eggs, taken April 28th, 

 1882, at the mouth of the Gaudaloupe River, Texas, from a nest 

 made of sticks and green twigs in leaf, in a willow tree, eleven 

 feet from the ground, are, in dimensions, 2.20x1.66, 2.10x1.34. 



FAMILY PHALACROCORACIDJE. CORMORANTS. 



"Bill small (shorter than the middle toe), variable in outline, but the maxil- 

 lary unguis always prominent and strongly hooked; nostrils obliterated; lores, 

 orbital region, lower jaw, chin and upper part of throat naked; middle toe 

 longer than, or about equal to, the tarsus, the outer toe much longer, and the 

 inner about as much shorter. Wings rather short, concave, reaching but little 

 beyond the base of the tail; tail variable as to length, usually rounded or gradu- 

 ated, the feathers stiff, with very rigid shafts, which are exposed almost to the 

 base of the tail, on account of the much abbreviated coverts. Plumage very 

 compact; usually dark colored and glossy." 



GENUS PHALACROCORAX BRISSON. 

 "Characters the same as those of the family." 



SUBGENUS PHALACROCORAX. 



Bill stout, with decidedly curved upper outline, the middle portion of the 

 culmen being appreciably concave, the terminal nail, or unguis, more or less 

 airhfd, strongly hooked, and occupying one-third or more of the entire length 

 of the upper mandible, measured to the base of the culmen. (Ridgicay.) 



Phalacrocorax dilophus (Sw. &RICH.). 



DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. 

 PLATE III. 



Migratory; not uncommon. Arrive the last of March to 

 first of April. To be looked for in the old, deep channels of 

 the rivers in the low timbered lands. Return in October. 



B. 623. R. 643. C. 751. G. 304, 16. U. 120. 



HABITAT. Northern North America; south in winter to the 

 Gulf coast; breeding from the Bay of Furidy northward, and 

 westward to Manitoba. 



