THE COMMON CORMORANT. 519 



clouds and filling the air with their hoarse caws and croaks — 

 these all constitute a scene which must be witnessed in order 

 to be appreciated. 



Strongly characterized is this bird both in form and 

 color. The long, narrow body is greatly extended by 

 the long duck-like bill and neck, and by the long, broad, 

 fan-shaped tail, the entire length being about 3 feet. The 

 rather slender and terete bill much hooked at the point, the 

 naked space about the green eye, the white-bordered yellow 

 gula pouch, the crest, the pointed feathers along the wings 

 and back, the totipalmated feet, the backward position of 

 the legs making it stand upright like the Grebes, and the 

 use it makes of its tail in bracing itself like a tripod, or in 

 supporting itself in woodpecker-style as it climbs over 

 rocks and bushes — all these give it an individuality in form 

 which appeals strikingly to the eye. No less striking is the 

 peculiar and rich attire of this species. Such lustrous 

 black, such iridescence of violet-purple and green, with 

 dark borders to the pointed feathers of copper and bronze- 

 gray of the wings and back, would seem to indicate the 

 tropics rather than the cold fogs of the north. This mag- 

 nificent dark array is still further set off in summer by a 

 white patch on the flank, and numerous long, filamentous 

 white plumes on the head and neck. There are some 

 peculiarities in the skeleton of this bird, as "the long, bony 

 style in the nape," and the palate bones being not only 

 united, " but sending down a keel along their line of union;" 

 also "the interorbital septum is very defective." Though 

 awkward on land, the Cormorant is perfectly at home in 

 the air and on the water. Its flight is firm and grand; 

 and diving from the surface of the water for its prey, 

 it uses its wings as well as its feet in the submerged pur- 

 suit, being capable of remaining under the water for some 

 time. It is a most voracious eater, its diet consisting of fish 



