50 WATER BIRDS 



when the half-grown Cormorant sits shrugged up into 

 a discouraged-looking bunch, or lolls listlessly against 

 his fellow nestlings. Around (and beneath the nest if 

 in a tree) are bits of fish and other debris, showing that 

 the supply often exceeds the demand. 



122. BRANDT CORMORANT. — PMflcrocoroa; 



penicillatus. 



Family : The Cormorants. 



Length: 35.00. 



Adults ; Head and neck iridesoent Wack, with a patch of whitish sur- 

 rounding base of gular sac ; under parts iridescent dark green ; 

 scapulars and wing-coverts dark gi'een, edged with black. 



Nuptial Plumage ; Uppermost scapulars and sides of neck ornamented 

 with long stiff white filaments ; gular sac blue. 



Young: Head, neck, and rump dark brown ; rest of upper parts paler 

 brown ; under parts dusky brown, paler on throat. 



Geographical Distribution : Pacific coast of North America from Cape 

 St. Lucas to Washington. 



Breeding Range ; Islands of the Pacific from Lower California to Wash- 

 ington. 



Breeding Season : Approximately, May 1 to July 20. 



Nest and Eggs: Identical in appearance with those of Farallone cor- 

 morant. Size 2.40 X 1-50. 



This is the most common cormorant of the California 

 coast, and may be distinguished by its stiff white feathers 

 on sides of neck and by its blue gular sac. Rookeries 

 are found on seal rocks near Cypress Point, Monterey, at 

 Santa Cruz, and on the Farallones. These birds nest in 

 colonies on the steepest crags and ledges of those islands. 

 About the middle of May they may be seen carrying sea- 

 weed and kelp to their chosen site. There they fashion a 

 new shallow, bowl-shaped nest, which becomes cemented 

 with guano ; ov perhaps they redecorate an old one 



