(121) 



Phalacrocorax 

 mexicanus 



(Bnuidl). 



CORMORANTS 



vigua 



MEXICAN CORMORANT. Ad. 

 — A border of white feathers around 

 the Ijase of the orange Rukir sac. 

 Plumase lustrous black with pur- 

 plish rather than green reilections; 

 back and wings slaty, each feather 

 with a black edge. In the breeding 

 season each side of the head has a 

 small packet of white nuptial plumes 

 and others are scattered down the 

 sides of the neck. In winter they 

 lack the white plumes, the white 

 feathers about the pouch, and the 

 black is less lustrous. L., 27.00; W., 

 10.00; T., 6.50; B., 1.90. 



Range — Mexico, Cuba and the 

 Bahamas; north in summer in the 

 Miss. Valley to Kan. and southern 111. 



and pouches of the parents, into which the black-skinned, 

 repulsive looking little cormorants insert their heads and 

 help themselves. Ugly as young cormorants may appear 

 to us, they are regarded as dehcacies by gulls that nest 

 near them, and they, as well as the cormorant eggs, are 

 devoured at every opportunity. 



MEXICAN CORMORANTS are abundant throughout 

 favorable portions of IMexico and Central America. They 

 regularly occur in our territory in southwestern Texas, where 

 they nest in the dense growths of trees and bushes sur- 

 rounding numerous lagoons. 



Family PELECANID.^. Pelicans 



Three of the dozen different species of pelicans are found 

 in North America and two of these occur in the eastern half. 

 Pelicans have fully webbed, or totipalmate feet, but the most 

 conspicuous feature about them is the long, large-pouched 

 bill. 



WHITE PELICANS are immense, magnificent birds. 



71 



