42 HISTORY OF THE 



grown, and hundreds of little fellows could be seen either upon 

 their nests or standing near by upon the rock. 



The birds are very filthy, and the stench about their breed- 

 ing grounds sickening. Their nests are made of sticks, moss 

 from the rocks, and seaweed. Eggs three or four, 2.50x1.56; 

 pale bluish green, coated with a white chalky substance, but more 

 or less stained in their dirty nests; in form, elongate ovate. 



Phalacrocorax mexicanus (BRANDT). 



MEXICAN CORMORANT. 

 PLATE III. 



A rare visitant; a single specimen taken four miles south of 

 Lawrence, April 2d, 1872, by Mr. George D. Allen, and re- 

 ported by Prof. F. H. Snow. 



B. 625. R. 644. C. 754. G. 305, 17. U. 121. 



HABITAT. Central America to southern United States; north 

 in the interior to Kansas and southern Illinois. 



SP. CHAR. "Smallest American species of the genus. Tail feathers, .12. 

 Bill moderately robust, the unguis arched atid strongly hooked, the culmen 

 slightly concave in the middle portion, and gently ascending basally. Bare 

 skin of the face extending fartherest back on the side of the head, forming 

 quite an angle behind the rictus; feathers of the throat advancing forward to a 

 little anterior to the rictus, the middle portion sometimes slightly indented by 

 an obtuse angle of the naked skin of the gular sac. Scapulars and wing cov- 

 erts rather narrow and tapering, and nearly or quite pointed. Adult, (in full 

 breeding plumage ?): Gular sac bordered posteriorly by a line of white reaching 

 upward nearly or quite to the eye. Head, neck, rump and entire lower parts 

 deep silky brownish black, with a very faint purplish-brown gloss in some 

 lights; back, scapulars and wings dark brownish slaty, each feather narrowly 

 bordered with black; primaries slate black; tail uniform deep dull black, the 

 shafts black. Superciliary regions, sides of the neck and anal regions orna- 

 mented by a few short and narrow white filamentous feathers. Bill light col- 

 ored (in skin), mottled with darker, the culmen dusky; gular sac brownish 

 (orange red in life?); iris green; legs and feet deep black. Adult, in winter: 

 Similar to the above, but without the white filaments. Young, first plumage: 

 Head, neck and lower parts grayish umber brown, becoming gradually darker, 

 or nearly black, on the nape, sides, flanks, anal region and crissum, and whitish 

 on upper part of throat, next the gular pouch. Upper parts as in the adult. 

 Iris green; bill dark fleshy, culmeu and upper part of lower mandible dusky; 

 gular sac brownish; feet deep black. Young, in winter: Similar to the above, 



