160 
to as much as 18 inches above the surface of the rock. The diameter varies from 18 to 24 inches. 
The birds did not all commence laying at the same time, as nests in process of construction were found 
at the same time with others containing young birds. The number of eggs or of young birds is usually 
three. The eggs vary in size, but are all of the usual Cormorant type, being bluish white, covered 
with a chalky incrustation. 
“ I noticed three variations in the colour of the birds which I have spoken of as P. cirrhatus : — 
“ {a) Black, with following parts white ; throat, breast, abdomen, conspicuous alar bar, and large double 
spot on the hack. Nearly all the birds were of this type. 
“ {b) Like a in every respeet, except that the alar bar was not nearly so conspicuous, and that there was no 
visible spot on the back. There were only two or three of these. 
(c) Black, with only the abdomen and beneath the wings white. I saw only one, I think, of this description. 
When sitting, it exactly resembled P. chalconotus (from a little distance), as the white parts were then 
covered. It sat on a nest and extended its neck, with mouth open, when approached by other birds, 
but I did not see it receive any food. I suppose it to be a young bird. It could fly as well as the 
adult birds. 
“All three of the birds described were without visible crest. Their feet appeared, from a 
distance of a few yards, to be reddish or brownish. 
“ I did not succeed in conveying home any young birds except about half a dozen very small 
ones. Some of these had a little down on them and the rest were perfectly bare, their skin resembling 
in appearance black kid gloves. They were just hatched. I have put them into spirits instead of 
skinning them. Some of them I carefully identified as belonging to P. cirrhatus *, but I could 
not see the slightest difference between the young of the two species at that stage. In the case of 
the older birds, there is white down on the underparts of one and not of the others, so I suppose 
that one is certainly P. cirrhatus. There were plenty of larger young birds, but they flopped about 
in the dirt and made themselves in a frightful mess. As the road was very rough and we had a 
heavy load to carry I did not take them. A resident near the spot has promised to send me some if 
there is another batch of eggs and young ones this season.” 
In November 1886 Captain Fairchild visited a nesting-place of this species on the White Kocks 
near the entrance to Queen Charlotte Sound. The birds were breeding in a colony by themselves, 
all the surrounding rocks being occupied by the Black Shag (P. novae hollandim). They were nesting 
on the bare rocks, whereas the latter species had formed large nests of leaves and seaweed, but had 
not yet commenced to lay. Many of the young birds on the White Bocks were of full size, but still 
covered with down. Captain Fairchild brought a number of them, of different ages, to Wellington, 
and I was thus afforded an opportunity of describing the nestling. The more advanced birds were 
continually fighting or squabbling, with loud cries of craao-craao-craao. The cry of the younger 
ones was Icek-keJc-keJc. 
Dr. Sclater writes (Voy. Chalk, Zool. vol. ii. Birds, p. 121: — “ All Dr. Cunningham’s examples 
(Mus. Cantab.), which we called Phalacrocorax carunculatus in our reports on his collection (Ibis, 
1870, p. 500, et aliter), appear to be referable to Phalacrocorax alhiventrts, of which the range is 
thus extended to the Magellan Straits.” 
* Phalacrocorax carunculatus of this edition. 
