1\)S BIRDS OF BRITISH GL'IANA. 



125. Phalacrocorax vigua. 

 Brazilian Cormorant. 



Plialacrocorax virjua Vieill. X. Diet. d'Hist. Xat. viii. p. 90, 1817 

 (Paraguay); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 878, 1898 

 (Camacusa) ; Beebe, Our Search for a Wilderness, p. 218, 1910 

 (Barima River), p. 27o (Aremu River), p. 35J; ( Abary Savannas). 



Salieits hrasilianus Cab. in Schomb. Reis. Guian. iii. p. 7G1, 18J:8. 



Fhcdaci'ocorax brazil lanus Salvin, Ibis, 1886, p. 168 (Camacusa). 



Adult [in non-hreedbvj plumage). U[)per surface, sides of the 

 body, under tail-coverts, and under wing-coverts black ; the 

 feathers of the upper Ijack and wings are frosted with grey and 

 liave brown margins ; sides of face and lore-neck pale brown 

 becoming darker and more smoky-brown on the breast and 

 abdomen. 



Total length G40 mm., culnien 49, wing 2G7, tail IGl, tarsus 51. 



Tiie bird from which the description is taken was obtained on 

 the Supenaam lliver in March 1910. 



Breeding-season. Unknown in British Guiana. 



Nest, "They are supposed to nest in trees" [ScJiomlurgJc). 



J'^ggs. Undescribed from British Guiana. 



Range in British Gxdana. Upper Takutu Mountains, Suj)enaam 

 lliver, Bonasika River {McConnell collection^ ; Barima Biver, 

 Aremu Biver, Abary Savannas (Beebe) ; Kamakusa ( Wlntehi). 



Extralimital Range . South America generally. Central America 

 to Texas. 



Habits. Schomburgk states (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 761) that this 

 bird is more commonly found near the cataracts formed by the 

 rivers, than on the coast. It is generally found sitting on the 

 granite blocks in small companies, or resting on trees growing 

 near the banks of the river. It finds it difficult to take flight 

 from the rocks; when alarmed it throws itself towards the surface 

 oi: the water, and uses its wincjs and feet for some distance, before 

 being able to fly properly. The flesh of ttiis bird is very fat, and 

 is so fishy that it is unfit for food. It is an expert diver; when 

 shot and not mortally wounded, it usually escapes by diving. 

 It is supposed to nest in trees. The " Macusis " call it Pareka. 



