REMAKES : 



Fig. 9, Plate LXIY, represents three eggs of the Florida Cormorant, of the common sizes and shapes. 

 The egg at the left shows a very rough deposit of lime on the shell; the one to the right shows the 

 color of the true shell, through a break in the outer covering made with a knife. 



The Florida Cormorant is merely a localized variety of the common Black Cormorant. Dr. Wheaton 

 says: " Simply a localized southern race of dilopkus, smaller in general dimensions, with relatively larger 

 bills, as usual in such cases; the sac seems to be more extensively denuded." 



It is at present but a rare bird in Ohio, although not many years ago it would seem to have been 

 quite abundant, as Dr. Langdon, quoting from an account furnished him by Mr. Chas. Dury, of Cincinnati, 

 says: "On the south side of the reservoir, about seven miles from Celina, was the 'Water Turkey' 

 rookery. Here I used to go to shoot them, with the natives who wanted them for their feathers; I 

 have helped kill a boat load. 



"One season I climbed up to their nests and got a cap full of eggs. The nests were made of sticks 

 and built in the forks of the branches. The trees (which were all dead) were mostly oaks, and covered 



with excrement. I found from two to four eggs or young to a nest. The young were queer little creatures 



looked and felt like India rubber. The old birds flew around in clouds, and made their croaking notes, 

 indicative of their displeasure at my presence. Some of the trees had ten or twelve nests on them. As 

 the timber has rotted and blown down, the birds have become less and less numerous." 



The above circumstances occurred in June, 1867, since when, as Mr. Dury states, these birds have 

 rapidly decreased in numbers. 



Dr. Langdon notes its capture, in June, at Sandusky Bay, but says: "My own observation of the 



species in Ohio is confined to a single specimen found floating in the reservoir late in October, 1874, 

 when its comrades had probably migrated. It has also been identified on both the Miamis during 

 its migrations." 



The Cormorant is extremely abundant in Florida, frequenting all the rivers as well as the sea coast, 

 their ungainly forms being seen perched upon the top of almost any stake or piece of brush sticking out 

 of the water. They are fierce, pugnacious birds when cornered or wounded, but very shy withal. Being 

 so little acquainted with the bird myself, I shall quote from Maynard's excellant account of the Black 

 Cormorant, which applies equally well to the bird now before us, it being only a variety of the black 

 species. He says : " The collector in Florida soon learns the position of every stake or buoy that stands 

 in the water, for they are generally ornamented by a Cormorant, but these wary birds know how to take 

 care of themselves, and it is seldom that one can be approached near enough to be shot. 



"Even while nesting they are very shy, and whenever a rookery is approached, all the birds rise, 

 circle about in confusion for a short time, then retreat a few hundred yards and settle down in a compact 

 body upon the water. Nor will they return until they are sure that the intruder has departed. 



"I found the eggs of the Black Cormorant freshly deposited on the Florida Keys, about the twentieth 

 of March, and the birds continued to lay from that time till the middle of April. Late in May the 

 black, downy young are nearly fully grown, but still remain in the nest as they are comparatively helpless, 

 being unable to fly, and are regularly fed by the parents. When approached at this season, however, 

 they display all the wariness of the old birds, for after disgorging the contents of their stomachs, as is 

 the custom with the young of many fish-eating birds when disturbed, they will drop from the nests or 

 limbs on which they are perched into the water, for the bases of the trees in which their homes are 

 placed are nearly always submei'ged, after which it is almost impossible to secure one, as they dive and 

 swim both beneath and on the surface of the water with the greatest ease." 



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