346 OUR RARER BIRDS 



hundreds of Shags congregate into a flock, and feed and liy in 

 company with ahnost as much regularity as Eooks. 



The Cormorant next claims our attention. In many of 

 its habits it differs considerably from the preceding species, 

 and the haunts it frequents are much more varied. In the 

 first place, the Cormorant is not nearly so oceanic in its 

 habits, and frequents the inland lakes and pools almost as 

 much as the sea. It is especially fond of visiting ponds and 

 sheets of water that are close to the sea and well-stocked 

 with fish. If there are small islands in them the Cormorants 

 are even still more at home. In winter especially the 

 Cormorant frequents fresh water as much as the sea, and at 

 all times may be found on low-lying coasts as well as on 

 steep and rocky ones. Again, the Cormorant is not nearly 

 so much of a cave-haunting bird as the Shag ; and another 

 very important and striking difference is its habit of perching 

 in trees. One would think that its webbed feet would 

 prevent it from choosing such resting-places ; but parties of 

 Cormorants may often be seen perched on the dead branches 

 of trees and on old stumps and piles. I have frequently seen 

 this bird retire to the branches to preen its plumage, sun 

 itself, or digest a meal; and it often chooses a stump or 

 branch, or even a wire fence, near the water, from which it 

 dives in quest of food. 



Cormorants fish in several ways. Sometimes they swim 

 up and down the water like the Shag, diving at intervals ; at 

 others they swim with the head entirely submerged and the 

 body low in the water, as though exploring the luminous 

 depths with their piercing eyes alone. It always secures its 

 prey in its beak, and almost invariably swallows it at once. 

 Like the Shag, the Cormorant often sits on a favourite perch- 

 ing-place with wings extended, drying them in the warm 

 sunshine and the breeze, after its gambols in the sea. The 

 flight of the Cormorant is very seldom taken far above the 



