8o V^nn-E, Food of Cormorants. [2nd"oct. 



No. 28, ?. — Soft parts same as No. 7. Stomach contents, one 

 weed-fish and one flathead. Length. 31" ; wing, 20" ; 

 stretch of wings, 44^". 



The following seven birds were not measured or numbered — 



a, <S. — Stomach contents, two flathead, four weed-fish. 



b, S- — Stomach contents, fish-bones, cockle shells, and spiral shell. 



c, ?. — Stomach contents, 27 young toad-fish and a number of 



fish resembling whitebait. Soft parts same as No. 2. 



d, c?. — Stomach contents, small leatherjacket. 



e, ^. — Stomach contents, one flathead and bones. 

 /, $. — Stomach contents, one flathead. 



g, S- — Stomach contents, weed-fish. 



There are one or two remarkable things arising out of these 

 investigations — firstly, the preponderance of the male sex over 

 the female birds ; secondly, the great difference in coloration of 

 the soft parts at breeding and non-breeding times ; thirdly, the 

 number of weed-fish found in the birds' stomachs, which supports 

 my contention that these birds fish only over weed ; fourthly, 

 the remarkable fact that 27 toad-fish were found in one stomach, 

 and it is believed on good authority that such fish are poisonous ; 

 if such be the case. Nature has provided that these birds are 

 immune to it. 



My investigations of the life-history of Cormorants is not yet 

 completed. There is a good deal more yet to be done, and I 

 have already shown that these birds do much more good than 

 harm. With others, I have always known this to be a fact ; but 

 unless we show proofs in black and white it is impossible to 

 overcome the prejudices of the public. 



Fossil Birds' Eggs. 



By Dr. R. W. Shufeldt, C.M.Z.S., Washingt'on, D.C, U.S.A. 



Fossil remains of a great many species of birds have been dis- 

 covered and described within the last century or more ; still, 

 fossils of this class of the Vertebrata are comparatively rare — 

 that is, when we come to compare the number found with like 

 discoveries of fossil remains of fish and mammals and some of the 

 Invertebrata. In this matter of rarity, however, they cannot 

 be compared with the fossil eggs of birds ; for, where we discover 

 several score or more of fossil remains of birds, we do not find 

 a single fossil bird's egg. Indeed, I do not remember having 

 seen more than six or eight of such fossils in my lifetime, and I 

 have had abundant opportunity to meet with them in collections, 

 museums, and elsewhere. 



In this country we have practically no literature on this 



