222 PELECANIN^E. PHALACROCORAX. 



ticulated; toes obliquely scutellate, webbed, the outer longer; 

 claws strong, curved, compressed, acute, that of the third 

 toe pectinate. Plumage of the head, neck, lower parts, and 

 rump, glossy, blended, silky, of the wings and fore-part of 

 the back compact, imbricated ; wings rather large and broad ; 

 primaries short, strong, obtuse, the first longest ; tail rather 

 small, rounded, of from twelve to sixteen narrow, strong- 

 shafted feathers. 



Species occur on almost every rocky coast of both conti- 

 nents. They feed entirely on fish, swim and dive with ex- 

 treme agility, sink in the water when alarmed, have a mo- 

 derately quick even flight, perch on rocks and trees, and 

 nestle in both situations. In diving, they generally leap 

 out of the water, and descend in a curve. Two species oc- 

 cur in Britain. 



286. PHALACROCORAX CARBO. GREAT CORMORANT. 



Length about three feet ; tail of fourteen feathers ; imbri- 

 cated feathers of the back and wings ovate, rounded, with 

 silky margins. Adult in winter crestless ; the plumage silky, 

 greenish-black, tinged with blue ; of the back and wings grey- 

 ish-brown or bronzed, with greenish-black margins ; a grey- 

 ish-white band on the throat, ascending to the eyes ; some 

 scattered, extremely minute, piliform pencil-tipped, white 

 plumelets on the head and neck, and a few white streaks 

 over the thigh. Adult in spring coloured as in winter, with 

 the addition of a longitudinal greenish-black crest, numerous 

 linear white feathers on the head arid neck, the throat-band 

 pure white, and a roundish patch of that colour on each side, 

 over the thigh. Young with the head and hind-neck dusky 

 brown, streaked with brownish-grey ; cheeks and fore-neck 

 greyish-white, mottled with brownish-grey ; a brownish-white 

 band on the throat; lower parts greyish-white, mottled with 

 dusky, becoming darker behind ; upper parts nearly as in the 

 adult. 



Male, 38, 60, 14, 3^, 2 T \, 2^, T \. Female, 35, 58. 



This species occurs in considerable numbers here and there, 

 on all our rocky coasts, resting on headlands and rugged in- 

 sular crags, and fishing in the bays and estuaries. They swim 

 and dive with extreme agility, iced on small fishes, which, 

 on coming to the surface, they toss about in their bill, or 

 throw up into the air, to bring them into a favourable posi- 

 tion for being swallowed. They alight heavily, keep in a 



