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PHALACltOCORACID.E — THE CORMORANTS — PHALACROCORAX. 157 



far north us Niairaguii. Tliu hitter is somewhat siniihir to I: dilophm, but is deciileiUy snmller 

 than L'Viin southern specimens, and has the gular siic divided posteriorly along the middle line by 

 an auj,'ular extension of the feathering of the throat. 



The Mexican Cormorant is a tropical species, and lias but a limited claim to be 

 counted as belonging to the North American fauna. It is common only on the south- 

 western portion of the coast of Texas, and also probably in the extreme suutlieru 

 portion of California; and is also of accidental occurrence within the interior por- 

 tions of the United States. It is found on both coasts of Mexico, and is al)un- 

 (lant on that of Y'ucatan, Honduras, Central America, and South America; it is also 

 occasionally met with in tlie waters of tlie interior. 



Tliis species was taken on Lake I'eten, in Honduras, by Mr. Layard; and .Mr. 

 (i, C. Taylor met with it in the Lake of Yojoya, in the sanu; region. Mr. Salvin, in 

 Ids explorations among the creeks on the racific coast of CJuateniala, observed indi- 

 viiluals that were nesting on the branches of trees, while others were swimming in 

 the muihly waters. Colonel Grayson nu'utions finding it everywliere common on the 

 Pacific coast in the neighborhood of Mazatlan, in Western ^lexieo, but does not give 

 any (h'scrii)tion of its liabits. Dr. Ihirmeister appears to have met with it in large 

 numbers throughout nearly all tlie La Plata Ilegions, and he speaks of seeing it 

 everywhere, on the Rio Parana, and farther inland, on the lagoons and large ponds 

 of the interior. Dr. J. W. Viele informs me that he found it abundant on the c^oast 

 of Yucatan, where he met with it in large breeding communities, and obtained its 

 eggs. He did not notice any specific peculiarities of habit liy wliieh it might be dis- 

 tinguished from the common r.Jioriduuus. A single specimen was secured by l*ro- 

 fcssor Frank IL Snow, of Lawrence, Kan. ; it was taken four miles south of that city, 

 Ai)ril 2, 1S72. 



Mr. Y. Germain ("Proe. Boston Nat. Hist. Soc." VIL IJlo) mentions this as one 

 of the birds breeding in Chili, where its common name is Yeco Cuervo. It chooses 

 as a place for its nest the rocks on tlie sea-coast, or trees Avhicli border certain lakes 

 or i)()ols, depo.siting its eggs in October and Xovember, at which time birds of this 

 species collect in great numbers. Their nests are made of marine or a(puitic plants, 

 wiiich after a few days give forth an offensive smell ; the number of eggs in each 

 nt'st is three or four. 



The observations of Mr. H. Durnford ("Ibis," 1878) confirm the fact of the dis- 

 tribution of this species over all South America. He met with it on the Scngel and 

 Sciigclcn rivers, as well as on the (Mnipat, in Patagonia, wliere it was both resident 

 and common. Every evening he observed large fiocks ascending the Kiver Chupat 

 for a distance of many miles, the birds fiying in from the sea to fisli in tlie river 

 dining the night. 



Mr. Dresser mentions finding this Cormorant common near Matamoras during the 

 summer months ; and he also saw at (.ralveston several birds wliicli lie recognized as 

 being Cormorants, and which, as he thought, must belong to this species ; but he did 

 not succeed in procuring any specimens from that locality, although he received two 

 from Fort Stockton. Both Dr. Merrill and Mr. Sennett mention the Mexican C'ormo- 

 rant as being a common summer resident near Fort Brown. The latter states that 

 it was seen near the fresh-water lagoons up the river, as well as about the adjacent 

 salt-ponds and marslies. He did not notice any as high \\\i as Hidalgo; and although 

 it undoubtedly breeds along tlu^ coast, none of its nests were found. The nianu- 

 scrijit notes of the late Dr. Berlandier, of ^Matamoras, mention it as being common 

 on the lakes or lagoons of the tJulf coast, and also as having btu'n found on those 

 of Tamiagua, Tuxpan, Puebla, Chairael del (!arpentero, etc., and in the marshy places 



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