Visit to the Haunts of the Cormorant, 169 



I may possibly take up the pen, and write down a few re- 

 marks upon the change of plumage in birds. 



The flesh of the cormorant possesses no flavour that would 

 suit the palate of our modern epicures. Hence it is despised 

 by aldermen, and, of course, is never served up at a Lord 

 Mayor of London's feast. On the sea coast, this poor bird 

 is shot at by marksmen through mere wanton pastime ; and 

 when he takes a flight inland, he runs great risk of never 

 getting back again to sea ; for nobody will befriend him, on 

 account of his well-known inclination to make too free with 

 the contents of well-stored fishponds. Still, for my own 

 part, I love to see him come this way. Stay here, poor wan- 

 dering mariner, as long as it pleases thee to do so. The 

 sight of thee puts me in mind of the happy hours I spent in 

 reading the Metamorphoses at the Jesuits' College. Well do 

 I remember how beautifully the poet tells thy affecting story, 

 before thou wert reduced to the necessity of diving for a 

 livelihood. I do not care if thou* takest all the eels in the 

 lake. Thou art welcome to them. I am well aware that 

 thy stomach requires a frequent and a large supply. So, 

 pr'ythee, help thyself. 



Walton Hall, Jan. 10. 1835. 



" Every part of nature being peopled with inhabitants, we 

 find that, as the bosom of the sea abounds in the finny tribes, 

 its surface forms a resting-place for many families of the 

 feathered creation. The numerous species of gulls, many of 

 the duck tribe, the auks, the guillemots, the petrels, the 

 divers, the cormorants, the goosanders, and various others, 

 people the rocks and precipices, obtain their food in the 

 ever-restless waves, and many may in truth be said to have 

 their s home upon the deep.' 



" The foot of a bird is always adapted to its mode of life. 

 If any of these sea-birds had a foot like that of the common 

 fowl, the crow, the magpie, or the pigeon, it would not have 

 served well for swimming; and hence we see that they are 

 web-footed like the duck or goose. Their mode of living, 

 however, is not in all the kinds the same ; and, in order to 

 meet the different circumstances in this respect, there are 

 corresponding variations in the foot; relating to its form, the 

 degree in which it is webbed, the comparative length of the 

 leg, or some other particular : for example, the black-backed 

 gull and the common cormorant. Both swim, and both 

 have webbed feet, yet there are several points of difference 

 between them. Why are the feet placed so much farther 



