BRITISH BIRDS. IO3 



Cormorant. — The hooked bill is greenish in colour, and 

 a round bare portion of skin surrounding the lower 

 mandible is yellow ; succeeding this is a border of short, 

 black, bristle-like feathers, a patch of the same covering the 

 top of the head ; the rest of the head and neck are covered 

 with feathers of a similar description, but of a grey colour ; 

 the remainder of the plumage is black, with a bronzed re- 

 flection on the back and wings, blue on the breast, and 

 green towards and on the tail ; there is a round white spot 

 on the thigh, and the legs and feet are dark grey ; the eye 

 has a greenish tinge. In the winter the plumage generally 

 has a much duller appearance. Length, about 3 feet. 



Shag. — This bird is also known as the green cormorant, 

 and is chiefly distinguished from the last by a tuft of 

 upstanding greenish black feathers on the forehead, the 

 tips of which have a forward inclination ; in colouring it 

 is much like the last, but is rather more bronzed ; the eye is 

 green, and the bill very dark orange ; the legs and feet are 

 black, and there is no white above the thigh. Length, 2 feet 

 3 or 4 inches ; female somewhat less. 



All three are resident species. , The gannet makes a nest 

 of sea-weed on a ledge of rock, laj's two large white eggs, 

 elliptical in form, and the young are covered with yellowish 

 white down. 



The cormorant makes a nest of sticks on a cliS', or among 

 the top branches of a tall tree. The eggs, two or three in 

 number, are greenish blue, of an oblong shape, and rather 

 rough in appearance. 



The green cormorant, however, makes its nest on a ledge 

 of rock, using sea-weed in its construction, and lining it with 

 grass ; the eggs, which are white, but soon get stained and 

 discoloured, are from three to five in number. 



Fish is the natural food of all the members of this 

 family, and they catch it by diving and even swimming 



