. Key to North American birds; containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary. Illustrated by 6 steel plates and upwards of 250 woodcuts. Birds. 1 302 GEAOULIDiE, CORMORANTS. GEN. 275. is difficult, owing to the great changes in jjlumage, the high normal variability in size, and their close inter-relation, which is such that the single genus Graculus does not appear capable of well founded division. Species are found all over the world, excepting the uttermost polar regions, and are usu
. Key to North American birds; containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary. Illustrated by 6 steel plates and upwards of 250 woodcuts. Birds. 1 302 GEAOULIDiE, CORMORANTS. GEN. 275. is difficult, owing to the great changes in jjlumage, the high normal variability in size, and their close inter-relation, which is such that the single genus Graculus does not appear capable of well founded division. Species are found all over the world, excepting the uttermost polar regions, and are usually very abundant in individuals ; they are all very much alike in their habits. Many are maritime, but others range over fresh waters as well. They are eminently gregarious, esisecially in the breeding season, when they congregate by thousandsâthe boreal kinds generally on rock-begirt coasts and islands, those of warm countries in the dense fringes of shrubbery. They often migrate in large serried ranks. The nest is rude and bulky; the eggs are commonly two, of elliptical form and pale greenish color, overlaid with a white, chalky substance. They feed principally upon fish, and their voracitjr is proverbial, though probably no greater than in the cases of allied birds. Under some circumstances they have shown an intelligent 'dociUty; witness their semi-domestication hy the Chinese, who train them to fish for their masters, a close collar being slipped around the neck to prevent them from swallowing the Fig. 198. Doublo-cvested Comiorant. V 275. Genus GRACULUS Linnaeus. * Tail of 14 feathers (and gular sac heart-shaped behind). â â ^ Common Cormorant. Shag. Glossy greenish-black, feathers of back and wing coverts bronzj'-gray, black-edged ; quills and tail grayish-black; gular sac yellow, white-bordered; feet black; in summer a white flank patch, numerous long thready white plumes on head and neck, and a small black occipital crest; length 36 ; wing 12-14 ; tail 6-7
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1872
