124 JUNGLE FOLK 



in length. It is said to be capable of swallowing at 

 one gulp a fish fourteen inches long. It is less gre- 

 garious in its habits than the other cormorants, but it 

 breeds and roosts in colonies. Captain H. Terry states 

 that this species' nests are to be met with on a tank 

 near Bellary. The great cormorant possesses fourteen 

 tail feathers, while all other cormorants have to put 

 up with twelve. Why the big fellow should be the 

 happy possessor of two extra caudal feathers is a 

 puzzle which no one has attempted to solve. 



It is not very easy to distinguish the three species of 

 cormorant from one another. The great cormorant 

 has a conspicuous white bar on each side of the head. 

 This and his larger size serve to separate him from the 

 two smaller forms. It is usually possible to distinguish 

 the other two by the fact that the little cormorant has 

 more white on the throat than his somewhat larger 

 cousin. But, when all is said and done, it is not of 

 great importance to distinguish the various species. 

 All cormorants have almost exactly the same habits. 

 The nests are all mere platforms of sticks. They are 

 all expert fishermen, and seem equally at home on 

 fresh or salt water. They can swim either on or under 

 water and move at a considerable pace, covering 

 nearly 150 yards in a minute. The young are said to 

 feed themselves by inserting their heads into the 

 gullet of the parent and pulling out the half-digested 

 fish. Cormorants are readily tamed and are employed 

 in China to fish for their masters, a rubber ring being 

 inserted round the lower part of the neck in order to 

 prevent the fish from going too far. In bygone days. 



