274 BOMBAY DUCKS 



white, while in summer it becomes dark brown or 



black. 



We must, in conclusion, consider a fishing bird of 

 a very different type. I refer to the little cormorant 

 {Phalacrocorax javanicus). This fowl, if not found 

 actually within the limits of Madras city, is plentiful 

 enough on the Red Hills tank and other sheets of 

 water, fresh or salt, in the neighbourhood. The little 

 cormorant is a duck-like bird of which " Eha" seems to 

 entertain a very low opinion. " I dare say," he writes, 

 " it often passes for a sort of black duck, but it differs 

 from a duck as a gentleman differs from a loafer. The 

 cormorant is a thoroughly shabby bird, with a large 

 ragged tail, and coloured all over a sordid black, like 

 the Sunday coat of a Goanese cook." 



Here I am obliged to respectfully differ from " Eha." 

 I consider the little cormorant a handsome bird, and as 

 a swimmer or a diver it has no equal. It has the power 

 of suddenly changing its specific gravity. One moment 

 the bird is floating, cork-like, on the surface of the 

 water, the next it is sinking like a stone. I once saw 

 a wounded cormorant give three determined men half 

 an hour's chase in water less than three feet deep. 

 The bird had been shot to provide for the " inner 

 men " of our boat coolies, so they rushed eagerly to 

 seize their booty, but the bird, although wounded, had 

 no intention of surrendering. Whenever a pursuer 

 drew near, the cormorant dived and, thirty seconds or 

 so later, reappeared at a distance of several yards. 

 That cormorant must have dived thirty times before it 

 was secured. 



