PHALACEOCOEAX. 151 



Fam. PHALACROCORA.CID^. 



This well-known family consists of the Cormorants, of which only five species are 

 found in Central America. 



Following Mr. Pycraft's arrangement of the Steganopodes, we extract fi-om his 

 synopsis the following osteological characters : — " Palatines hroad and flat, closely 

 approximated one to the other in the middle line from the posterior nares backwards ; 

 postorbital process emarginate ; fnrcuia not fused with the carina sterni ; a large 

 occipital style or nuchal bone articulating with the supra-occipital." Mr. Ogilvie Grant 

 gives the external characters of the family as follows : — " Bill long, or moderately lone, 

 subcylindrical, strongly hooked at the extremity ; a long narrow groove on each side, 

 dividing at the nail or dertrum ; cutting-edges of mandibles entire. Nostrils rudi- 

 mentary. A gular pouch, naked anteriorly ; neck long and sinuous. Wings moderately 

 long and pointed ; quills stiff and strong, the third generally slightly longer than the first 

 und second. Tail rounded or cuneate, composed of 12 or 14 stiff feathers. Tarsus short 

 and compressed ; outer toe longest ; claws curved, that of the middle toe pectinate " *. 



Of the thirty-six species of Phalacrocorax admitted by Mr. Ogilvie Grant, five 

 occur within our limits. 



PHALACEOCOEAX. 



Phalacrocorax, Brisson, Orn. vi. p. 511 (1760) ; Ogilvie Grant, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 330. 

 The characters specified above as those of the family apply equally to the single 

 genus, Phalacrocorax. 



1. Phalacrocorax pelagicus. 



Phalacrocorax pelagicus (Pall.), Herrera, La Nat. (2) i. pp. 188, 330 ' ; A. O. U. Check-1. N. Amer. 



Birds, 2iid ed. p. 44" ; Ridgw. Man. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 80 ' ; Ogilvie Grant, Cat. 



Birds Brit. Mus. xxvi. pp. 333 ^ 337=, 360 ^ 

 Phalacrocorax pelagicus robustus (Ridgw,), A. O. U. Check-1. N. Amer. Birds, 2ad ed. p. 44'; 



Ridgw. Man. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 80 '. 

 Phalacrocorax pelagicus resplendens (And.), A. O. U. Check-l. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 44'; 



Ridgw. Man, N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 80 ". 



MetaUice viridis, bronzino nitens ; dorso postico, uropygio et supracaudalibus magis chalybeis, plumiilis 

 lon^itudinalibus albis ornatis ; alis caudaque nigris ; tectricibus alarum viridi nitentibus ; pileo metallice 

 viridi, crista una verticali, altera nuohali ornato ; colloque undique et gutture pulchre pui'pureo-violaceis, 

 plumulis albis ornatis ; corpore reliquo subtus nitenti-viridi, hypocbondriis irais plagam magnam albam 

 exhibentibus : rostro nigricanti-corneo, basin versus pallidiore ; facie et mento nudis saturate grisesceuti- 

 brunneis, papUlis brunnescenti-aurantiacis vel sordide miniatis ornatis ; pedibus nigris ; iride floresoenti- 

 viridi vel thalassina. Long. tot. circa 28'0, alse 9-6, caudae 5-5, culm. 1-9, tarsi 1-85. (Deser. maris ad. 

 ex San Francisco. Mus. nostr.) 



Ptil. Mem. similis adulto in ptilosi nuptiali, sed plumulis colli et uropygii albis et plaga alba hypoehondriali 

 absente. (Descr. ad. hiom. ex Ins. Farallone. Mus. nostr.) 



Juv. Omnino brunnescens, vix viridi tinctus, eoUo pauUulum violaceo nitente. 



* Cf. ' Catalogue of Birds,' xxvi. p. 332. 



