THE CORMORANT. 397 



scapulars. This plumage is acquired by complete moult July- 

 No v. Summer. — The body-plumage is moulted Feb -March, 

 but not wings, wing-coverts, or tail (in one March specimen tail 

 moulting). Plumage as winter, but whole crown, neck, and throat 

 black, brightly glossed blue as under-parts ; chin and sides of 

 head pure white not brownish as winter ; in centre of back of 

 crown and down centre of nape line of elongated, narrow, pointed 

 feathers (about 40 mm. long) forming conspicuous crest ; on top 

 of crown and upper -part of neck and throat varying number of 

 white feathers, long and extremely narrow almost like filoplumes 

 but not so hair -like, most having longish rami on whole length of 

 shaft, a few, however, are like filoplumes with hair -like shaft tufted 

 at tip, number of these feathers varies in individuals but they never 

 seem so numerous nor so broad or long as in Ph. c. subcormoranus 

 in which blue -black feathers are usually practically obscured ; at 

 base of thigh large patch of white feathers of loose structure. 

 N.B. — White neck-feathers are gradually lost in May and June 

 and are mostly gone before full moult to winter commences. 



Nestling. — When first hatched naked, skin brown, subsequently 

 very thickly covered with dark brown down, brown -black on head 

 and neck, bases of down pale brown to greyish ; lores, round eyes 

 and chin bare and down on upper-throat very sparse (often a few 

 white tufts especially on wings). This down .is shed as juvenile 

 feathers grow, but is not replaced by them nor is it replaced 

 directly in continuous growth by underdown of feathered stage 

 though the underdown may succeed it. 



Juvenile. — Crown and back of neck dark brown with varying 

 amount of blue -black gloss, feathers more or less edged pale or 

 whitish-brown, sides of neck paler brown, neck with varying 

 number of small white filoplumes projecting slightly beyond 

 feathers (hair -like with small tuft of rami at tip and not narrow 

 feathers as in adult) ; centre of mantle, back, and rump black-brown 

 with varying amount of blue gloss ; upper tail-coverts browner ; 

 sides of mantle, scapulars and wing-coverts usually paler brown 

 (but varying and in some dark with good deal of gloss), feathers 

 margined dark glossy-brown to glossy blue-black, tips of feathers 

 usually paler and those of greater coverts brownish-white ; throat 

 and upper-breast brown to dark brown, feathers edged to varying 

 extent brownish -white ; sides of breast, flanks and under tail- 

 coverts black-brown more or less glossed blue ; on thighs a few 

 white filoplumes like those of neck ; rest of breast and belly varying 

 from uniform white to white mottled brown to dark brown, varying 

 number of feathers having brown tips ; tail not so glossy as in 

 adult and with narrow whitish-brown tips ; primaries brownish- 

 black, secondaries with varying amount of gloss but much less 

 than in adults and tips of feathers whitish -brown. N.B. — Amount 

 of brown on breast and belly and amount of gloss on upper-parts 

 varies greatly individually ; occasional examples have whole breast 

 and belly and centre of throat pure white. 



