VIOLET-GREEN CORMORANT. 441 



fourth longest. Claws rather small, strong, compressed, acute, convex above, 

 arched, that of the third toe pectinated on its inner edge. 



Plumage silky, being very soft, blended, and highly glossed. Feathers of 

 the head and neck oblong, of the other parts ovate and rounded. The small 

 gular sac, and the space before and beneath the eye, with the eyelids, bare. 

 Wings rather small, broad; primaries curved; in the only individual in my 

 possession, in which they are not fully developed, the first is an inch and 

 four and a half twelfths shorter than the second, which is longest, but 

 exceeds the third only by a twelfth; secondaries broadly rounded. Tail of 

 moderate length, very narrow, much rounded or cuneate, lateral feathers 

 being an inch and ten-twelfths shorter than the middle; the feathers, twelve 

 in number, are narrow, with very strong shafts. 



Bill dusky, gular sac and bare skin about the eyes orange. Iris light 

 green. Feet black. The general colour of the plumage is deep green, seem- 

 ing black in some lights, and bright green and purple in others. Along the 

 sides of the neck and the hind part of the sides of the body, are scattered 

 numerous white piliform feathers, terminated by a pencil of filaments. The 

 quills and tail-feathers are brownish-black, and less glossy. 



Length to end of tail 27 inches; bill along the ridge l|f, along the edge 

 of lower mandible 2 T \; wing from flexure 10; tail 5^; tarsus 1 T 9 2; hind toe 

 If, its claw -f|; second toe 1 T 7 2, its claw ||; third toe 2i, its claw T 9 ^; fourth 

 toe 3 T 2 2, its claw jj. 



Vol. VI. 60 



