THE COMMON CORMORANT. 419 



round with scales, of which the outer are sub-hexagonal, the inner trans- 

 versely elongated, the posterior very small and roundish. Toes all placed in 

 the same plane, and connected by reticulated webs, covered above with very 

 numerous oblique scutella; first toe smallest, fourth longest. Claws strong, 

 curved, compressed, acute, that of the third toe pectinated on its inner edge. 



Plumage of the head, neck, lower parts, and posterior portion of the back, 

 glossy, blended, and silky; of the fore part of the back and wings compact, 

 the feathers with loose glossy margins. The middle feathers of the occiput 

 and hind neck are elongated, and those of the head and upper neck are 

 intermixed with numerous linear feathers of a different colour, and erectile 

 at will. Space around the eye, and to a large extent along the base of the 

 bill, together with the small gular sac, bare. Wings rather small; primaries 

 very strong, curved, rather narrow, tapering and obtuse, third longest, 

 second almost as long, first little shorter; secondaries decurved, broad, 

 broadly rounded, the inner broad and shorter. Tail small, much rounded, of 

 fourteen narrow, rounded feathers, having extremely long shafts. 



Upper mandible greyish-black, along the edges yellowish-white; lower 

 yellowish-white at the base, dusky towards the end. Iris light bluish-green, 

 margins of eyelids dusky. Bare space about the eye dull olive, below it 

 bright red, the gular sac yellow. Feet and claws greyish-black. All the 

 silky part of the plumage is black, glossed with deep greenish-blue; at the 

 base of the gular sac is a broad gorgelet of white, and the linear interspersed 

 feathers over the head and upper neck are white, there is also a large parcel 

 of elongated white feathers on the side over the thigh. The feathers of the 

 wings and part of the back are dull bluish-grey glossed with bronze, their 

 fringe-like margins greenish-black. Primary quills greyish-black, secondary 

 like the other feathers of the wing. Tail greyish-black. The shafts of all 

 the feathers are black at the end, leaden-grey towards the base. 



Length to end of tail 37 inches, to end of claws 36; to end of wings 32; 

 extent of wings 62; wing from flexure 14; tail 6-|; bill along the ridge 3^, 

 along the edge of lower mandible 4 T 2 2; tarsus 2i; outer toe 3^, its claw ff . 

 Weight 1\ lbs. 



Female in July. 



The female when old is similar to the male. In the state here represented, 

 the plumage in general is similar, but the white feathers of the head and 

 thighs are wanting. The bill, eyes and feet are coloured as in the male, as 

 are the bare parts about the base of the bill, only the part under the eye 

 which is bright red in the male, is bright yellow in the female. 



Young birds unfledged. 



The inside of the mouth and the gular sac flesh-coloured; the bill dusky, 



