151 
VIOLET-GREEN CORMORANT. 
Phalacrocorax resplendens, Jlud. 
PLATE CCCOXIX. — Adult. 
This Cormorant, the most beautiful hitherto found within the limits of 
fhe United States, was obtained by Mr. Townsend at Cape Disappointment, 
/ear the entrance of the Columbia river. The specimen from which the 
figure in the plate was taken, was transmitted to me by that zealous student 
of Nature. The beautiful gloss of its silky plumage suggested the specific 
name which I have given to it. 
Violet-green Cormorant, Phalacrocorax resplendens , Aud. Ora. Biog.,vol. v. p. 148 
Female, 2T ; wing 10 ; tail 5J. 
Cape Disappointment, near Columbia river. Abundant. 
Adult. 
Bill about the length of the head, slender, cylindrical, enlarged at the 
base, and compressed toward the end, straight. Upper mandible with the 
dorsal line very slightly concave, until on the unguis, where it is decurved, 
the ridge convex, flattened toward the end, separated from the sides by a 
narrow groove, the sides convex, the edges sharp and straight as far as the 
unguis, which is decurved, convex above, acute, its tip not extending 
beyond the level of the dorsal outline of the lower mandible. No external 
nostrils. Lower mandible with the angle long and very narrow towards 
the end, filled up by an extensile membrane which does not extend beyond 
the level of the eye, its very short dorsal line considerably convex, the 
sides erect and very convex, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip com- 
pressed and truncate. 
Head small, oblong. Neck long and slender. Body rather full, elongated, 
and depressed. Feet short, stout, placed far behind ; tibia feathered in its 
whole length ; tarsus very short, strong, much compressed, covered all round 
with scales, of which a series on the inner side anteriorly, and another on the 
outer, are scutelliform, the posterior very small and roundish. Toes all 
placed in the same plane, connected by reticulated webs, and covered above 
with numerous broad but very short oblique scutella ; first toe smallest 
