268 ZOOLOGY. 



violet blue ; smaller wing coverts violet; primaries lirownisb black, as are the other quills oa their inner webs ; tail and 

 shafts black ; the entire plumage very lustrous and silky in appearance ; dispersed over the neck and nn the sides of the 

 body near the thighs are numerous short white piliform feathers which expand at the enil in the foiui of a small brush ; 

 gular sac and bare space about the eye orange ; feathers of the throat extend upon the lower part of the gular sac for about 

 half its length, and terminate in a point ; upper mandible blackish brown, lower dusky yellow ; legs and feet black ; iris 

 greenish brown. Female brown. 



Length, 28 inches ; alar extent, 41 ; wing, 10.50 ; tail, 6 25 ; bill, 2 ; tarsus, 1.90 ; outer toe and claw, 3.75. 



Hah. — Western coast of North America, California, Washington Territory. 



The only specimen of this brilHant cormorant I obtained at tlie same phtce where Townsend 

 got his in 1834, the extreme point of Cape Disappointment. While in tiiat vicinity, 

 in Jnly, 1853, I watched for tliem particuhirly for several days, and though there were 

 plenty of P. Toivnsendi in the river, I never saw one of these within the cape. But, sitting 

 on the summit of that beautiful promontorj^ one day, admiring a view unsurpassed by any in 

 the world, I observed, three hundred feet below, in a little cove, sheltered from the breakers 

 by some rocks, a bird fishing, which I knew must be the long-sought cormorant. I at once 

 descended, and, obtaining a skiff with its side stove in, I wpnt with the obliging light-house 

 keeper and his assistant, who rowed round to the outside of this remarkable cape. The distance 

 was only about 300 yards, and, until we suddenly turned the sharp outer point, the water was 

 smooth as a mill-pond. Scarcely had we turned this point, when, suddenly, a flock of jierhaps 

 t-\vo hundred flew from the rocky ledges, and, circling round our boat, retired to a distant part 

 of the cliffs. The swell was so violent here that it was impossible to take any aim, and after 

 some useless shots, I returned. Next day we went round again, and by getting out on a ledge, 

 beibre they all {lew, I succeeded in shooting one. I found it to be a young bird, of course, 

 incomplete in plumage at this season, and did not attempt to get any more. Townsend' s 

 specimen nearly cost him his own life and that of six men, so violently does the sea dash, 

 usually, against these rocks. At the time of my visit it was unusuallj' smooth. Afterwards, 

 sailing out of the river, I observed numbens of them fishing some distance out. Many had the 

 flanks marked by a large jjatch of white, probably distinguishing the adult birds. Others 

 appeared different, and may have been the P. perspicillatus, a species common on the coast of 

 California and also of Russian America. At the cape there was no sign of their having had 

 nests nor places suitable for them. They prefer rocky islands, separated from the shore, which 

 several kinds of water birds frequent, in incredible numbers, near the Straits of De Fuca and 

 along the coast of California. As no such occur anywhere near the mouth of the Columbia, I 

 had no opportunity of visiting these interesting nurseries. They probabty only visit Caije 

 Disappointment during their migrations. — -C. 



Note. — A eiirious bird. — Colonel Fitzhugh and Mr. Reed, of Bellingham bay, Washington 

 Territory, informed me that during the winter of ISSi-'SS a very strange "duck" was obtained 

 by them on the bay near the coal mines. 



According to the remembrances of the above named gentlemen it was of about the size of a 

 small goose, or between that of a brant and a mallard. Its general color was of a rich cream; 

 tail darl: The bill and feet, to the best of their recollections, resembled those of a duck. 

 The forehead had a nrl streak on each side, and from the back of the head there were long 

 elongated, greenish-Uack feathers, falling down gracefully to the right and left. 



The bird was verj' tame, and allowed itself to be stoned for some time. It then rose and 

 flew a short distance, when, again alighting on the ivater, it was approached and killed with a 

 gun. 



