1900.] F. Finn — Cormorant inhabiting the Crozette Islands. 143 



VII. — On the Form of Cormorant inhabiting the Crozette Islands. — By 



F. Finn, B.A., F.Z.S., Deputy Superintendent of the Indian Museum. 



(With exhibition of specimen.) 



[Received 30th May ; Read 6th June, 1900.] 



In the British Museum Catalogue of Birds, vol. xxvi, p. 394, 

 Mr. W. R. Ogilvie-Grant refers the Cormorant of the Crozette Islands 

 to Phalacrocorax verrucosus, with a mark of doubt. It may therefore be 

 of interest to ornithologists to know that we have in the Indian 

 Museum, among the specimens belonging to the Asiatic Society, 

 the type of Blyth's Hypoleucus melanogenis (sic), which came from 

 the Crozettes, and was received in 1860 from the late Mr. E. L. 

 Layard, on behalf of the Government Museum, Cape Town, together 

 with numerous skins of South African Mammals and Birds. As the 

 reference, in J.A.S.B., vol. xxix, p. 101, has apparently been overlooked 

 by the author of the Catalogue, I give it below in full : — " * Hypoleucus 

 melanogenis, nobis, n.s. Very like H. varins (Gm., Ph. hypoleticos, 

 Gould), of Australia, but distinguished by its black cheeks and crest- 

 feathers If in. long. Wing 10J in. Tail 5 in. Bill to forehead 2^ in. 

 Foot 4 in. From the ' Crozettes.' " 



The asterisk indicates that the species was new to the Asiatic 

 Society's collection. The skin was mounted, but has been long ago 

 dismounted, and is now in a rather bad state. It bears part of a paper 

 label with the name, locality, and reference to description in Blyth's 

 handwriting. A later label repeats the information, with the addition 

 of the donor's name. 



On comparing the specimen in question with the excellent figures and 

 descriptions of the Hypoleucus group of Cormorants in the volume of the 

 British Museum Catalogue above referred to, it is seen to be obviously 

 most closely allied to Phalacrocorax albiventer and P. verrucosus, being 

 generally purple-black above, glossed green on wings, and white below 

 from chin to vent, and the feet having evidently been orange, not black 

 as in P. variusy with which Blyth compared it. The chin-feathering 

 extending barely before the gape, and the black cheeks noticed by Blyth 

 evidently ally it to the two first-named species ; and it further agrees 

 with the former of these in the black not extending down the side of the 

 lower jaw, and in the possession of a moderate white alar bar ; the 

 smaller dimensions, however, bring it nearer to P. verrucosus, with which 

 it almost exactly agrees in this respect, and to this species I should be 

 inclined to refer it, unless it be considered distinct, in which case the 

 Crozette Island Cormorant will stand as Phalacrocorax melanogenys 

 (Blyth). 



