370 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



one egg or young bird only was observed, and the parent birds gene- 

 rally would not leave their progeny unless compelled by force." 



Dr. Pickering also records having noticed this species at sea, after 

 the Expedition left the Sandwich Islands, in longitude 167° 30' west. 

 This fact we are the more particular in stating, as this species may 

 yet be found to be an inhabitant of the Pacific coast of the United 

 States, the locality last mentioned being the nearest to the coast of 

 North America, of any given by the naturalists of the Expedition. 



The Prince Bonaparte, in Conspectus Avium, II, p. 166, adopts for 

 this species the name Sulci cyanops, Sundevall, in preference of Sula 

 jyersoiiata, Gould, intimating the priority of the former, but citing no 

 description. We have not succeeded in finding any name for this bird 

 previous to that proposed by Mr. Gould, as given at the head of the 

 present article. 



4. Genus CARBO, Lareprdc. 

 1. Caebo magellanicus [Gmelin). — The Cape Horn Cormorant. 



Pelecanus magellanicus, GrM. Syst. Nat. I, p. 576 (1788). 

 Phalacrocorax erythrops, KiNG, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1831, p. 30. 

 " Phalacrocorax Icucotis, CuviER," Bonap. Consp. Av. II, p. 177. 



In the collection of the Expedition are several specimens, which ap- 

 pear to be clearly this species, though presenting some striking varia- 

 tions in plumage. This is the case, however, with so many species of 

 Cormorants with Avhich we are acquainted, that we regard the conclu- 

 sion as inevitable, that changes in the plumage of different ages of the 

 same species, and sexual and seasonal changes also, take place to an 

 unusual extent in this group. In the present bird, we can readily 

 distinguish three well-marked stages of plumage : 



First. Throat, with a white longitudinal band ; spot on the ears 

 white. Head, neck, entire upper parts, sides (under the wings), large 

 spot on the fianks, and tibiae, black, with a greenish and purple gloss, 

 most observable on the head and back ; sides and flanks with white 

 lines. Under parts from the neck white ; under tail-coverts black. 

 Lores, space around the eyes, and at the base of the under mandible, 

 naked. Total length of prepared specimen, about twenty-eight inches; 

 wing, ten and a half inches ; tail, six inches. 



