89 [Vol. xxv. 



the middle of the body 18 inches ; weight 6 lbs. 12 oz. The 

 stomach was quite empty. 



Mr. Frohawk stated that white-breasted birds similar to 

 the specimen shown had only been observed in the Isles of 

 Scilly during recent years and were becoming more 

 common. 



An interesting discussion followed, in which several Mem- 

 bers took part : Dr. C. B. Ticehurst being of opinion that 

 the bird exhibited, by Mr. Frohawk was fully adult and 

 might represent an unknown phase of plumage. 



Dr. Hartert remarked that he had seen birds in a similar 

 plumage during the breeding-season among the adult black 

 birds, both on Herm, Channel Islands, and in Morocco, 

 and that probably many specimens retained their juvenile 

 plumage for a number of years. 



Mr. Withe rby said that in his opinion there was no 

 evidence to show that the bird was not adult, and it was 

 without doubt at least a year old. He thought that the 

 white of the breast could have nothing to do with the 

 juvenile plumage, since the bird was in full moult and 

 the new feathers on the breast were as white as the old ones. 



Mr. Ogilvie-Grant, who had made a special study of the 

 Cormorants when writing volume xxvi. of the Catalogue 

 of the Birds in the British Museum, stated very definitely 

 that he had not the slightest hesitation in saying that the 

 bird exhibited by Mr. Frohawk was a young Cormorant still 

 in the plumage of the first year. The green colour of the 

 eye did not necessarily imply that the bird was adult, the 

 eye becoming green at the end of the first year. There 

 were a number of nearly similar specimens in the Natural 

 History Museum, which might be inspected by those 

 interested in the matter. 



Mr. liOTiisciiiLD said he thought that though the bird 

 might not be young there could be no doubt that it was 

 still in juvenile plumage. 



