Bendire.] 168 [October 6, 



possibly one in fifteen. I think that all have it excepting birds only 

 a year old. This ridge is not always firm and regular, but in some is 

 quite rough. The majority of the feathers of the occipital crest in a 

 specimen now before me, are 3.50 in. long, and a few 4 in. These 

 feathers are pure white. 1 can find no 'dusky patch ' on this speci- 

 men. The feet are black. One of the eggs set under a hen hatched 

 out in twenty-nine days. The young bird lived only a few 

 hours." 



76. Graculus clilophus? Gray. In the first visit to Lake 

 Malheur, what was taken to be a large heronry was observed. It 

 was afterwards ascertained to be the breeding place of a species of 

 Graculus. Most of the nests were on the ground, about a third only 

 being on bushes not over three feet high, the balance on rubbish, or 

 sticks, not more than six inches from the ground. On the 26th 

 Capt. Bendire found them occupied with cormorants. The nests con- 

 tained five eggs each. In a third visit to the lake other colonies of 

 the cormorants were met with. 



" The young of tills species (judged from their size to be about two 

 weeks old), are still perfectly devoid of down or feathers; the skin is a 

 deep glossy black, and altogether they present a curious appearance. 

 The eggs, four or five in number, are of an elongated oval shape, pale 

 green in color, covered partly by a chalky matter. Their average size 

 is about 2.42 by 1.48 inches; some specimens measure more both ways. 

 One set of four measure 2 86 by 1.60 in.; 2.70 by 1.65 in.; 2.66 by 

 1.64 in.; and 2.70 by 1.60 in. The nest is composed of coarse 

 sticks, and is about one and one-fourth feet in diameter, is shallow 

 and lined with a few strips of bark and pieces of tuk\ is raised a few 

 inches from the ground and placed generally very close to the water. 

 In one instance I found it occupying the nest of Ardea herodlas, 

 which was placed on a grease-wood bush about three and one-half 

 feet from the ground." 



77. Larus occidentalis Aud. 



78. Chroicocephahis Philadelphia Lawr. 



79. Sterna Forsteri Nuttall. 



Capt. Bendire, in his visit to Lake Malheur, found these birds 

 present about the islands in large numbers, and apparently preparing 

 to remain and breed. 



