436 THE FLORIDA CORMORANT. 



when speaking of the crests or appendages of Cormorants, nor do they last 

 more than a few weeks, as is also the case in the Egrets and Herons. 



Phalacrocorax Floridanus, Florida Cormorant, Aud. Orn. Bio°\, vol. iii. p. 387; vol. 

 v. p. 632. 



Male, 2H, 46£. 



Constantly resident in the Floridas and their Keys, and along the coast to 

 Texas. The young in summer pass up the Mississippi and Ohio, returning 

 in autumn to the sea. Abundant. Breeds on trees only. 



Adult Male in spring. 



Bill about the length of the head, rather slender, somewhat compressed, 

 straight, with the tip curved. Upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly 

 concave, until near the tip, when it is decurved, the ridge convex, and 

 separated from the sides by a narrow groove, the sides erect, convex, the 

 edges sharp and straight as far as the unguis, which is strong, convex above, 

 incurved, acute. No external nostrils when full-grown. Lower mandible 

 with the angle long and very narrow towards the end, filled by an extensible 

 membrane, which extends a short way down the throat, its dorsal line a little 

 convex, the sides erect and convex, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip 

 compressed and obliquely truncate. 



Head rather small, oblong, narrowed before. Neck long and slender. 

 Body rather full, depressed. Feet short, stout, placed far behind; tibia 

 feathered in its whole length; tarsus very short, strong, much compressed, 

 covered all round with scales, of which the anterior and lateral are large and 

 sub-hexagonal, 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 rather 

 small, strong, compressed, acute, rounded above, arched, 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 narrow loose glossy margins. From behind the eye to the 

 length of an inch and a half on each side, a line of extremely slender loose 

 elongated feathers. 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, second 

 longest, third almost equal, first longer than fourth; secondaries decurved, 

 broad, broadly rounded, the inner narrower. Tail of moderate length, very 

 narrow, much rounded, or cuneate, of twelve narrow rounded feathers, 

 having extremely strong shafts. 



