THE FISHING CORVORANT. 



4C1 



"The emba?sj (he says) had not proceeded far on tlie Boutheru 

 branch of the Imperial Canal, when they arrived in tlic vicinity of a 

 j>lace where the Lcntze, or I'a ned tisliing-ljird of China, is breil, and 

 instructed in the art and praclicc of supplying his owner with lish 

 in great ahiindanee, 



''On a large lake c]t')s; to tliis part of the canal, and to the cast- 

 v-'ard of it, are tlion-ands of 

 3ui:dl boats an 1 rafts, built 

 entirely for this speeic-s of lisl;- 

 ing. On e-tch boat or raft are 

 ten or a do/./n hir Is, which at a 

 signal fnun the own -v. i)lung; 

 into the water; and it is aston- 

 ishing to see the enorniois si/e 

 of the lish with whch tlu'V 

 return, grasiiel within the;r 

 bills. They appearoil to be so 

 well traine<l, that it did not 

 require eitiier ring or corvl 

 about their thi-oats, to [)revent 

 them from swallowing any ]ioi-- 

 tiou of their }>rey, except what 

 the master w.is pleased to re- 

 trUrn to them for encouragement 

 and fool. The boat used by 

 these Hdiermju is oi' a remark- 

 al)ly light make; and is often carried to the lake, together with the 

 fislnug bi;-ds, by tlie men who are there to be supported by it." 



M. de Bifibn says, that they are regularly educated to fishing, aa 

 Tfijii rear Spaiuels or llawk.s, and one man 

 ;au easily manage a hundre-1. The fisher- 

 Jian carries them out into a lake, perched 

 Du the gunnel of his boat; where they con- 

 tinue tran<pul, and wait for his ordeis with 

 patience. When arriveil at the proper 

 place, on the first signal, each flies a diff- 

 erent way, to fulfil the task assigned to it. It 

 IB pleasant on this occasion to behold with 

 what sagacity they portion out the lake or 

 canal where they are upon duty. They 

 hunt about, they plunge, they rise a hun- 

 dred times to the surface, until they have 

 at last found their prey. They then sei^e it 

 by the middle, and carry it to their master, 

 large, they assist each other; one seizes it by the head, and another 

 by the tail, and in this manner they carry it to the boat together 

 There the boatman stretches out one of his long oars, on which 

 they perch, and after being delivered of their burden, agam fly off 

 to pursue their sport. When they are wearied, he suffers them to 

 rest awhile; but tLey are never fed until their work is over To 



FlSUlNi) WRVHRANt. 



CORVORAST 



When the fish is too 



