170 



ash tipped with black ; chin and upper throat pure white ; lower throat white marked with light brown, 

 rest of the underparts pure white, except the flanks and under tail-coverts, which are glossy black. 



Obs. The present species appears to pass through similar changes of plumage as the Pygmy Cormorant; 

 but in immature dress it may always be distinguished from that species by the black-tipped wing- 

 coverts and scapulars. A second specimen, in Mr. Gurney's collection, is in an interesting stage of 

 transition from the young to the old plumage, the underparts being mottled black and white, the head 

 almost as in the young bird, and on the upper parts of the body it has assumed the full plumage. 

 There does not appear to be any difference in size or coloration between the sexes. 



This southern representative of our Pygmy Cormorant only just occurs within the limits of the 

 Western Palaearctic Region, being met with towards the mouth of the Nile; but it is generally 

 distributed in suitable localities throughout Africa as far south as the Cape colony. It appears . 

 to be far commoner in Egypt than Phalacrocorax pygmceus, and judging from Captain Shelley's 

 description (B. of Egypt, p. 296), he appears to have mistaken the present species for the Pygmy 

 Cormorant ; but both species occur at the Fayoom, where he obtained his specimens. Von 

 Heuglin states (Orn. N.O.-Afr. p. 1495) that it is very common on the White and Blue Nile and 

 their tributaries northward to about 15° N. lat., and on all the lakes and streams of Abyssinia 

 southward to the Galla country, and is occasionally met with at above 8000 feet altitude ; and he 

 adds that he believes it occurs in the delta of the Nile. Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., says that he 

 was informed by M. Filliponi that the present species or else Ph. pygmceus used formerly to be 

 common at Damietta, and he himself found it at Lake Fayoom, where, he says,, it is one of the 

 commonest birds. I do not find it recorded from Algeria or Morocco ; but it has been met with 

 in Senegambia, on the Gold Coast, and Benguela. Mr. E. B. Sharpe says that Mr. Ussher sent 

 a specimen from the Volta ; and it was met with in Damara Land by Mr. Andersson, who writes 

 (B. of Damara L. p. 370) as follows: — "This Cormorant occurs on Lake Ngami and its water- 

 sheds ; but I have never met with it, except on inland waters. It feeds on fish, and is a most 

 expert diver. Its flight is strong and rapid ; and it perches on trees both during the day and at 

 night. This species feeds chiefly at night ; as the sun declines it is seen in flocks flying to its 

 fishing-grounds. During the day it remains in great measure stationary, either lazily sunning 

 itself on some branch overhanging the water, or on a bunch of reeds ; or it may be seen standing 

 erect on a sandbank, with outstretched wings. When in the water, it has the habit of sub- 

 merging its body to such an extent as to leave little more than the neck exposed." Mr. E. L. 

 Layard, who also records it as found on Lake Ngami, adds (B. of S. Afr. p. 381) that one was 

 sent from Colesberg by Mr. Arnot. Mr. Ayres met with it in Natal, and says that it frequents 

 the freshwater lagoons on the coast ; and it is also recorded from the Zambesi, Mozambique, and 

 Madagascar. Both Dr. Kirk and Mr. Ayres give some few details respecting its habits. The 

 former, writing respecting its occurrence on the Zambesi, says (Ibis, 1864, p. 338) that he found 

 it " common on all rivers, lakes, and lagoons. Its breeding-places are the retired islets among 

 the rapids, commonly unapproachable. A second species, much larger and with a white neck, 

 occurs rarely on the Lower Zambesi, but is common among the rapids of the Shire, where it 

 breeds, and on Lake Nyassa. In the shallow lake through which the Shire flows after leaviug 

 the Nyassa, the natives drive piles in the bottom, at a distance from shore, and rising a foot 



