862 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



The Cormorant is found over all Europe, Asia, and great part of 

 Africa. 



The next species is placed by Bonaparte (contrary to his usual 

 practice) as variety b. of Phalac. carbo. It appears to me a most 

 distinct, though somewhat variable species as to colour, having a 

 very slender bill and a considerable gular expanse. 



1006. Graculus Sinensis, Shaw. 



Pelecanus apud Shaw — Blyth, Cat. 1745 — Phal. leucotis, 

 Blyth — C. albiventer, Tickell? — Carbo leucogaster, Meyer — 

 P. fuscicollis, Stephens — P. nlamentosus, Temm. and Schleg. ? 



The Lesser Cormorant. 



Descr. — Adult, head and neck shining black; feathers of the 

 back and wing-coverts bronze color as in the last ; throat white, 

 this color extending towards the eye, and passing into pale brown 

 on the cheeks; lower plumage deep black. 



Bill dusky-brown, reddish beneath ; gular skin yellow ; irides 

 verdigris blue ; nude orbits black ; feet black. Length 24 to 27 

 inches; extent 36 to 40, and upwards ; wing 11; tail 5 j to 6; 

 bill at front 2^ ; middle toe 2f . One specimen from Central 

 India is recorded as 29 inches long, with the tail 7. 



In breeding plumage this Cormorant assumes some white specks 

 on the fore-head and above the eyes, and a white tuft behind 

 each ear ; the chin, however, is then black. The young birds 

 are more or less brown above, white beneath. 



Blyth writes me that Carbo jilamentosus, Tern, and Schl. (capil- 

 latus on the plate) is perhaps the same as this species. It is said 

 to be 31 inches long, with the wing 12 ; tail 5^; this is somewhat 

 larger than most Indian examples. 



This species of Cormorant has an equally wide distribution in 

 India with the last, and is perhaps indeed more generally spread. 

 I have procured it on the Carnatic ; Tickell in Central India; and 

 Blyth has obtained it from Bengal and the countries to the east- 

 wards, where it is perhaps more abundant trftm in Western India. 

 If Mr. Blyth is correct in considering C. filamentosris to be the same 

 species, which is very likely, it extends through Central Asia and 

 China to Japan. There is no record of its breeding here, but it 



