26 Birds of Colorado 
into the water for food, probably small fry, but in the 
fall they seem to feed chiefly on winged insects,” and 
specially on dragon-flies. 
They breed, as already remarked, in large companies ; 
their nests consist merely of a heap of decaying rushes 
and other vegetable matter, piled up in the shallow water 
of a lake or marsh. The eggs, 2 to 4, are pale brownish 
or greenish-olive, thickly blotched and spotted with 
very dark chocolate; they are rather pointed at one 
end and measure 1°30 x 1:0. Hall’s eggs were fresh 
and taken somewhat early—on May 26th—the more 
more usual nesting-time is June. 
ORDER STEGANOPODES. 
This order contains a number of swimming and diving 
birds, such as the Cormorants, Darters, Gannets and 
Pelicans ; they can be recognized at a glance by a very 
obvious external character; the feet are totipalmate, 
that is, all the toes, including the first or hallux, which 
is turned forwards more or less parallel to the other 
toes, are fully webbed. 
Key oF THE FamMities AND GENERA. 
a. Bill shorter than the middle toe, compressed ; gular sac small, 
hardly distensible (Phalacrocoracide). 
Phalacrocorax, p. 26. 
b. Bill much longer than the middle toe, flattened and depressed ; 
gular sac large and greatly distensible (Pelecanide), 
Pelecanus, p. 28. 
Family PHALACROCORACID. 
Characters of the Genus. 
Genus PHALACROCORAX, 
Bill subcylindrical and slightly compressed, the upper mandible 
strongly hooked at the tip; nostril rudimentary; wings short and 
rounded ; tail of twelve or fourteen feathers rather short and stiff; 
tarsus short and compressed ; all the toes well webbed. 
