Ordee STEGANOPODES.] 
[Pa3i. PELECANID^. 
PHALACEOCOEAX IMPEEIALIS. 
(EMPEROR SHAG.) 
Plialacrocorax imperialis. King, Proc. Tj. S. 1831, p. 30. 
Phalacrocorax cirrhatus, Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1868, p. 189. 
Gracxilus carimculatus, Finsch, J. f. O. 1870, p. 375. 
Plialacrocorax carunculatus, Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1870, p. 500. 
Plialacrocorax carunculatus, Buller, Birds of New Zealand, 1st edit. p. 332 (1873), 
Graculus carunculatus, Sharpe, App. Voy. Ereb. and Terr. p. 34 (1875). 
Plialacrocorax imperialis, Scl. & Salv. Proc. Z. S. 1878, p, 652. 
Plialacrocorax cirrhatus, Hutton, Trans. N.-Z. Inst. vol. xi. p. 336 (1879). 
Ad. pileo cristato cum collo postico, dorso postico, uropygio et supracaudalibus nitide purpurascentibus : inter- 
scapulio, scapularibus alarumque tectricibus sordidc olivaceo-viridibus, illo purpurasceute lavato, tectricibus 
alarum minimis interioribus albis, fasciam albam conspicuam formantibus : remigibus brunneis, secundariis 
olivaceo lavatis : caudd sordidb nigi4, rectricibus duabus centralibiis medialiter cano lavatis, scapis ad basin 
albis : facie et collo lateralibus purpurascenti-nigris pileo concoloribus : corpore reliquo subtus pure albo : 
hypoeliondriis imis purpurascenti-nigris : subalaribus brunneis : rostro saturate brunueo, ad apicem albido : 
pedibus pallide brunneis : iride pallide brunne4 : plaga nudA auteoculari pajjillosA aurantiaco-rubrA. 
Adult. Head, iucluding the erest, cheeks, hind part and sides of nock, back, rump, thighs, and upper tail- 
coverts dark purplish or steel-blue Avith a beautiful gloss j shoulders and scapulars dull shining olive-green, 
the feathers of the former with burnished edges ; upper wing-coverts dull olive-green, washed more or less 
Avith purplish or steel-blue, the middle ones largely tipped with white, forming a conspieuous alar bar ; 
on the hack a square patch of white (which is not always present, being probably characteristic of the 
breeding-season) ; throat, fore neck, and all the under surface of the body pure white ; Aving-feathers blackish 
broAvn ; the seeondaries Avashed Avith olive ; under surface of wings dusky black ; tail-feathers dull black, the 
two middle ones inclining to grey, and all having the shafts wliite at the base. Irides light brown ; papillm 
in front of the eyes and hare skin at the base of loAver mandible orange-red ; bill dark brown, Avbitish at the 
tips; legs and feet pale broAvn. Total length 26 inches; AA-ing, from flexure, 10' 75 ; tail 5; bill, along the 
ridge 2"25, along the edge of lower mandible 3 ; tarsus 2’25 ; longest toe and claw 4’25. 
Young. There is a specimen in the Otago Museum obtained from the Chatham Islands (marked s ) Avhich is 
apparently in an immature state ; dorsal patch broken aird mixed with brown; alar bar much narroAver than 
in the adult bird and likewise intermixed with brown feathers, the white ones appearing to be neAV plumage ; 
general gloss on the upper parts less pronounced ; lower back and rump glossed with steel-blue, instead of 
green as in the adult ; there is likeAvise a blue gloss intermixed with the green on the head and hind neck. 
There are some old and dingy brown feathers on the mantle, from which it may be inferred that the plumage 
described above exhibits a ehange from a still more youthful state. 
06s. The above description and the accompanying figure are taken from a fine male bird obtained by Mr. Henry 
Travers at the Chatham Islands in August 1871. The eolours of the soft parts were carefully noted by him 
Avhile the speeimeu was fresh. 
Under the head of Plialacrocorax imperialis. King, Dr. Sclater writes (‘ Voyage of Challenger,’ Zool. 
vol. ii. Birds, p. 121): — “ This Cormorant, which has been usually united to Plialacrocorax carunculatus 
VOL. II. ^ 
