PHALACROCORAX PUNCTATUS.

Spotted Cormorant.

Pelecanus punctatus, Sparm. Mus. Carls., vol. i. t. 10.—Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. ii. p. 889.—Gmel. Linn., vol. i.
p: 574.
— nevius, Gmel. Linn., vol. 1. p. 575.

 

Crested Shag, Cook’s last Voy., vol. 1. p. 151.
Spotted Shag, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. vi. p. 602, pl. civ.—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. x..p. 427, pl. clxxxu.
Phalacrocorax punctatus, Gould, Birds of Australia, Part I., cancelled.

Pa-degga-degga, Aborigines of New Zealand.

 

Tuis beautiful species of Cormorant is a native of New Zealand; but although numbers of Europeans have
now for many years visited those islands, it is still so extremely rare that I have never been able to discover
more than two specimens among the various collections I have had opportunities of examining : of these,
one is in the British Museum, and the other forms a part of the collection of the United Service Museum,
to the Council of which Institution my best thanks are due, not only for the loan of this interesting species,
but also for the very handsome manner in which the treasures of their Museum have been rendered available
to me for scientific purposes. The latter specimen was presented to the United Service Museum by Capt.
G. R. Lambert, R.N., of H.M.S. Alligator, who procured it in New Zealand, where it is said to be abundant,
particularly in Queen Charlotte’s Sound.
It builds among rocks, and not unfrequently on trees when growing near the water.

Vertical and occipital crest, crown of the head, and throat sooty black ; back of the neck, lower part of

the back, and rump glossy green; a white stripe commencing above the eye passes down each side of the
neck to the flanks; lower part of the neck, chest, and abdomen beautiful leaden grey; under tail-coverts
and tail black; mantle, scapularies, and wings brownish ash, all the feathers except the secondaries
and primaries having a small spot of black at their tip ; from the throat, sides and back of the neck, and
thighs, arise numerous plume-like white feathers of a soft loose texture 5 those on the sides and back of the
neck are very numerous, but on the other parts they are few and thinly scattered.

The figure is of the natural size.

Challah Lttihe.

   

Abel and Mh baichter deh st hith,