BIEDS. 65 



PnALACROCOEAx DiLOPHUS ciNOiNATUS (Brandt). White-crested Cormorant. 



Two specimens of tbis species are recorded (as diloplius) by Dall as liaviog been taken at 

 Sitka by Bischofif during the Telegraph Explorations. 



Turner records it as an abundant resident of the ISTear Islands. 



55. Phalacroooeax pelagicus Pall. Pelagic Cormorant. 



According to Stejneger tvne 2)elagicus occurs upon the Aleutian and Commander Islands, and 

 is replaced along the coast of the Alaska mainland by the following variety. This, then, is the 

 cormorant I found abundant in the Aleutian Islands in May of 1877, and in the fall of 1881, where, 

 also, it has been reported by others. Turner reports it as abundant on the l^ear Islands. 



Phalacrocorax pelagicus robusttjs Eidgw. Yiolet-Green Cormorant (Esk. 

 A-gd-gMh). 



This is the most abundant species of cormorant found in the Territory. It occurs everywhere 

 on the coast, from Korton Sound to Sitka, and breeds on almost every rocky promontory. Like 

 the other species of cormorants they are inquisitive, and frequently circleabout boats and vessels 

 ■which approach their haunts. 



A female taken on July 8 had a brown iris and a carunculated and coral-red gular sac, with 

 a nearly black mandible. Another, taken on July 26, had a dark-green iris ; otherwise similar. 

 Although these birds nest abundantly on the cliffs about the north shore of ^Norton Sound, and a 

 few near Saint Michaels, yet they are never very numerous about the latter placCi They usually 

 arrive there with the first open water from the 5th to 10th of June, and are found in small 

 numbers until the ice forces them away the middle of October. They rarely enter the inner bays, 

 except early in spring or just before ice forms in fall. One taken October 12 had a livid, flesh- 

 colored gular sac, and a horn-colored bill. They keep about the rocky points and islets on the outer 

 face of the islands or on bold cliffs facing the open sea, and although shy about Saint Michaels 

 they are much less suspicious when about their breeding places. 



The Eskimo on the Aleutian Islands, and thence north to the Straits, make use of cormoraat- 

 skins for clothing, and the filamentous white feathers of the flanks are used in ornamental work 

 as fringes. 



Phaloorocorax tjkile (Gmel.). Eed-faced Cormorant (Esk. Miin-uhi-Ml-tk). 



In the Fur Seal Islands this is a resident species. A male and female taken by Mr. Dall on 

 Amchitka the last of July showed respectively the following points of coloration: Iris olive-brown ; 

 base of mandible dull ashy blue, with a narrow orange border to the naked membrane. 



The female had a pale olive-brown iris ; base of mandibles and culmen bright blue; remainder 

 of naked space scarlet. In his report upon the birds of the Fur Seal Islands (loe. cit.) Dr. Cones 

 makes the following pertinent notes : 



In the adult plumage it is readily recognized by the naked red skin which entirely surrounds 

 the base of the bill, and the blue base of the under mandible. Eggs taken by Mr. Elliott have the 

 chalky incrustations common to the eggs of cormorants, and are of the usual shape, measuring 

 about 2J inches long by 1^ wide. Conceruiug the bird's habits on these islands I take the fol- 

 lowing notes from Mr. Elliott : It comes under the cliffs to make its nest and lay before any other 

 species, and two eggs were taken from a nest on a reef at Saint Paul Island, June 1, 1872, over 

 three weeks in advance of the nesting season of the majority of the other water-fowl. The nest 

 is large, carefully rounded, and built upon some jutting point or narrow shelf aloug the face of a 

 cliff. In its construction sea-weeds, grasses, and a cement, largely made up of the bird's excre- 

 ments, are used. The eggs are usually three, sometimes four in number, and are small as com- 

 pared with the size of the bird. They are of a whitish gray, green, and blue color, but become 

 soiled very soon, as the birds are very filthy about their nests. The young appear after three 

 weeks' incubation, and are without feathers and almost bare even of down. They grow rapidly 

 and are fed by the old birds ejecting the contents of their stomachs, composed of smaU fish, crabs, 

 S. Mis, -156 9 



