84 



CRESTED CORMORANT. 



This species, which Montagu considers the young 

 of the preceding, is described in various stages of 

 growth and age by Temminck, thereby apparently 

 showing that it must be distinct from the former. 

 The winter dress of the old birds is said to be as 

 follows : the beak is brown : legs black : irides green : 

 all the plumage is of a beautiful resplendent glossy 

 green : the top of the back, scapulars, wing- coverts, 

 and wing quills are prettily bronzed, each feather 

 being enriched with a straight band of velvety black : 

 the tip of the wings does not extend beyond the origin 

 of the tail, which is short, rounded, and of a dull 

 black : length of the bird about twenty-eight inches. 

 The young of the first year are distinguished from 

 all the other species by the long and slender beak, 

 by their short tail, and by the broad glossy margins 

 which adorn all the feathers of the back and shoul- 

 ders : the several colours of the upper parts are brown 

 slightly shaded with green, those of the under ash- 

 coloured more or less pale. During the summer 

 months the old birds possess a beautiful flowing crest, 

 nearly two inches in length, of a dusky colour; and 

 on the occiput are about ten or twelve long and 

 slender feathers : in other respects they are similar 

 in plumage to their winter dress. 



This species inhabits the north of Europe, and is 

 common about Holyhead, in the Hebrides, Orcades, 

 Norway, and the coasts of Sweden. Its nourishment 

 consists of small fishes : it lays its eggs, which are 

 of a rough calcareous texture, and of a white colour, 

 in a kind of nest on the ledges of rocks. 



