162 TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS — STEGANOPODES. 



some variation in the shade of green of the plumage : in some specimens it is much 

 more rusty than in others. 



Mr. H. W. Henshaw states that this bird occurs in hirge numbers all along the 

 coast of Southern California, and that it i)robably extends its range northward into 

 Oregon. He saw many of tliis species in May in San Francisco Bay, and found them 

 congregated in great numbers on the islands in Santa Barbara Channel — most of the 

 places selected as nesting-sites being inaccessible. At low tide he succeeded in enter- 

 ing one of the gloomy caverns, where a dozen pair had established themselves. The 

 nests were merely collections of weeds and sticks matted together, and placed upon 

 the rocky shelves sufficiently high to be out of the reach of the tide. This was on 

 the 4th of June, and all the nests contained young in a downy state. The old birds 

 all forsook the place, and flew wildly about the entrance, but without attempting to 

 re-enter, though the young birds kept up a continuous vociferous calling. In flying 

 about the island the old birds passed within easy gunshot of the rocky points, but 

 never ventured over the land. The constant habit of this species is to spend the 

 morning in fishing ; and then, having appeased its hunger, to sit in grouj)s on the 

 cliffs which immediately overhang the sea — often in such numbers as to blacken 

 the rocks. When disturbed, those nearest to the edge drop into the water ; while 

 those in the rear scramble forward in the most awkward manner, and having made 

 the plunge, swim beneath the surface until they have gained a safe distance. 



Eggs of this bird in the Smithsonian Collection (No. 2035, obtained by Dr. Can- 

 field on the coast of California; and No. 6156, taken on the Farallones by Mr. 

 Gruber) vary from 2.20 to 2.25 inches in length, and from 1.35 to 1.45 in breadth ; 

 and are not distinguishable by any specific characteristics from the eggs of any other 

 species of Cormorants. 



Fhalacrocorax urile. 



THE RED-FACED CORMORANT. 



Red-faced Cormorant, or Shag, Penn. Arct. Zool. II. 1785, 584 (Kamtschatka). — Lath. Synop. 



VI. 1785, 601. 

 Pelccanus urile, Gmel. S. N. I. 1788, 575. — Lath. IikI. Orn. II. 1790, 888. 

 Phalacrocorax urile, Bonap. Compt. Rend. XLII. 1856, 766 (part). 

 Phalacrocorax bicristatus. Pall. Zoog. Eosso-As. II. 1826, 301, pi. 75, fig. 2. — ^Kidgw. Nom. N. 



Am. B. 1881, no. 647. — Coues, 2d Check List, 1882, no. 757. 

 Graculus bicristatus, Gray, Gen. B. III. 1845. — Baird, Tr. Chicago Ac. I. 1869, 321, pi. 33.— 



COUE.S, Key, 1872, 304 ; Check List, 1873, no. 534; in Elliott's Alaska, 1875, 192 (Pribylof 



Islands). 

 Urile bicristatus, BoNAP. Consp. 11. 1855, 175 (part). 



Hab. Prybilof, Aleutian, and Curile Islands, and coast of Kamtschatka. (Said to occur also 

 in Japan and Formosa.) 



Sp. Char. Similar to P. pelagicus, but slightly larger, and the base of the culmen crossed by a 

 strip of naked skin, connecting that of the lores. Adult, in full breeding-plumage : Head and neck 

 deep silky steel-blue (much less purplish than in pelagicus), the tufts dull silky brownish bottle- 

 green or bronzy-purplish ; lower parts silky metallic bottle-green ; scapulars and sides of the back 

 silky dark metallic violet-purple (much more purple than in pelagicus) ; middle of the back (lon- 

 gitudinally), dark bronzy green ; rump and upper tail-coverts similar to the lower parts ; wings 

 similar to the scapulars, but duller, the lesser coverts more bronzy. Primaries brownish black ; 

 tail deep dull black. Flanks covered by a large patch of silky white filamentous feathers. Neck 

 and rump with scattered, linear, filamentous pure white feathers (soon cast). Maxilla dusky, the 

 base, as well as that of the mandible (which is light-colored) bright blue (in life) ; bare skin round 

 hase of bill, light scarlet ; legs and feet deep black ; iris light green. Adult, in winter: Similar, 



