PHALAOEOCOKAX PYGHVLETJS. 1193 



Habits. — The Little Cormorant, as will have been noticed in my outline of its distribution, is almost 

 exclusively an inhabitant of fresh water, whereas its larger relative, as we have observed, levies heavy contri- 

 butions alike on the finny tribes of both salt and fresh water. The present species is not, according to my 

 experience, a very shy bird ; for when sunning itself with outstretched wings on rocks or partially submerged 

 fallen trees, I have often approached within shot of it, and might have procured many specimens had I been able 

 to retrieve them from the crocodile-infested waters. This species affects open sheets of water, and also smaller 

 tanks which are only overgrown at the edges, fishing singly or in small parties ; it flies swiftly, and when 

 going off to its roosting-places at dusk it proceeds in a long wavy line, which is fed from the flocks on the 

 water, the birds rising one by one as soon as they see that a movement has been commenced by their 

 companions. When fired at they often dive, but sometimes get on the wing and circle round the tank, 

 alighting in a place of safety. Like the Large Cormorant, they flap along the surface of the water when first 

 rising, proceeding some little distance before they are able to mount into the air. The Little Cormorant is 

 very destructive in its way to fish ; but is obliged to confine itself to small fry, although it occasionally disposes 

 of good-sized prey ; it feeds largely on shrimps. In the month of November I observed, on two occasions, 

 large flocks of this bird coming from the direction of Foul Point towards the Fort. On arriving in Dutch Bay 

 they alighted in a mass, and crowded so close together, that at least fifty birds occupied no more than about 

 three square yards. After remaining some little time diving and swimming quickly about, they took wing 

 for the north, going, as I afterwards found, to the Kodiyam kulam and other tanks to breed. It is, like its 

 congeners, a silent bird ; but when nesting makes a craking note. 



Nidification. — The breeding-time of this Cormorant is the same as that of the Herons and Egrets, in 

 whose company it nests. In March I found the young nearly all hatched ; and in the Hambantota district, 

 and near Trincomalie, most birds had eggs at the time of a visit I made to a large breeding-place in January. 

 Large numbers nest together, building fifteen to twenty nests sometimes in one tree ; at Uduwila I found the 

 Darter and the Glossy Ibis nesting in the same trees, and at Kodiyam kulam, near Trincomalie, the Little 

 Egret. The nests were placed mostly on the outer lateral branches, and were small platforms of sticks resting 

 on horizontal forks ; the egg-cavity, which is very slight, is lined with fine twigs, and the eggs varied from two 

 to four in number. The exterior surface is chalky white, smooth in places, rather rough in others ; beneath 

 the outer coating the shell is pale greenish blue. They are nearly uniform ovals in shape, some more compressed 

 at the small end than others; several specimens measure L81 by 1-08, P83 by 1-19, 1'75 by 1T7, and 

 1-85 by 1'06 inch, the latter specimen being a peculiarly long and narrow egg. The old birds I found very 

 tame, alighting on trees close to those containing their nests, and twisting their necks awkwardly from side to 

 side, to see what was going to happen to their charge. The young, when partly fledged, perched in small 

 branches adjacent to their nests, and huddled together, three or four in a row. 



In India they nest, says Mr. Hume, in companies of from five or six to fifty or more pairs, and often take 

 possession of nests built by Crows or "Paddy-birds." His measurements of the eggs are — length 1-65 to 

 1-92, breadth 1-08 to 1"25 inch. 



