Order STEGANOPODES.] 
[Fam. PELECANID^. 
PHALACEOCORAX COLENSOL 
(AUCKLAND-ISLAND SHAG.) 
Ad. similis P. carunculato, sed conspicue minor ; hand caruncnlatus : dorso postico minime plaga albi notato. 
Adult. Cro-wn of the head, shoulders, feathers composing the mantle, wing-eoverts, and scapulars hronzy brown, 
with a green gloss in certain lights ; hind part and sides of neck, lower portion of hack, rump, and thighs 
blue-black with a fine metallic gloss ; the median wing-coverts white, forming a broad alar bar extending 
nearly the whole length of the cubitus ; a line from the chin, widening into a broad stripe down the fore 
neck, and the whole of the nnderparts pure white ■, quills and tail-feathers and the under surface of wings 
blackish brown ; bill yellowish brown ; legs and feet orange-yellow. Extreme length 28 inches ; wing, from 
flexure, 10'5 j tail 6 ; bill, along the ridge 2-5, along the edge of lower mandible 3; tarsus 2 ; longest toe 
and claw 4'25. 
Young. Differs from the adult in having the w'hole of the upper parts blackish brown, glossed with green only 
on the mantle, lower part of back, and rump, the blue metallic gloss being entirely w^anting ; the crown of 
the head, back and sides of the neck, interscapular region, and upper surface of wings paler brown ; the 
median wing-coverts and the scapulars fading to brownish white at the tips, but without any appearance of 
an alar bar ; remiges and tail-feathers dark brown, the latter largely margined on both webs with brownish 
white ; the streak of white down the fore neck interrupted in its middle portion by the dark colour which 
spreads across in a cloudy pale brown wash. Bill dark yellow, brownish on the ridge ; legs and feet dull 
orange. 
Ohs. It is clear that the states of plumage are as described, because my adult bird betrays vestiges of the adole- 
scent garb in the wings and tail, the moult not having been quite completed. 
This Shag is readily distinguishable from P. caruncnlatus by its much smaller size, by its smooth face, 
and- by the absence of the white dorsal marks. It has less of the green metallic gloss on the head 
and neck, the green on the mantle is duller, and the back, rump, and thighs are decidedly bluer than 
in the last-named species. In P. caruncnlatus the pointed stripe of white feathers between the crura 
of the low'er mandible widens rapidly on the throat and fore neck, occupying a larger surface than the 
dark plumage before reaching the breast ; in the present species it presents only a broad stripe down 
the centre of the fore neck, Avhich spreads out abruptly just above the breast. The white alar bar, 
although narrow, is far more conspicuous than in P. caruncnlatus, being fully six inches in length. 
The only two specimens in my possession — the adult and young described above — were received 
by me from the Auckland Islands in 1885, having been collected by Mr. Burton, of the Colonial 
Museum, who found hundreds of these Shags frequenting the rocks, and collected twenty or more 
specimens, many of which I examined. One of these (marked $ ), apparently a younger bird, had 
the colours much duller than in my example. 
In the British Museum there are two examples (in moulting condition) obtained by Baron A. 
von Hiigel at the Bluff, in the provincial district of Southland. 
Having to select a distinguishing name for this species, I have much pleasure in dedicating it to 
my friend the Rev. William Colenso, F.R.S., who, as I have already shown on page 152, recorded his 
observations on the Shags inhabiting New Zealand nearly fifty years ago, and who has been ever 
since an active contributor to the scientific literature of his adopted country. 
VOL. II. 
Y 
