AN AUSTRALIAN BIRD BOOK. 69 



143 Little Black Cormorant, Shag, P. sulcirostris, Borneo 



to N.G., A., T., N.Z. c. lagoons, rivers 25 



Glossy greenish-black; about eye and side of neck lighter; 

 f., sim. Fish, frogs. 



144 White-breasted Cormorant, Black and White Shag, 



Diver (e), P. gouldi, Louisiade Is., A., T. 



Stat. c. shores, rivers 30 

 Upper greenish-black, under glistening- white; naked skin 

 about eye purple; hooked bill 2in.; f., sim. Fish. 



145 Pied Cormorant, Black and White Shag, Diver (e), 



P. hypoleucus, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A., W.A., N.W.A. 



Stat. v.c. bays 30 

 Like 144, but bare space in front of eye orange, bill 2.?in. ; 

 f., sim. Fish. 



146 Little Cormorant, Frilled Shag, P. melanolencus, 



Sunda Is., Mol., N.G., A., T., N.Z. 



Stat, pairs, r. inlets, rivers 23 

 Upper black; under white; upper breast chestnut; f., sim. 

 Fish, water-insects. 



this patch is said to be blackish or purplish. The Little Cor- 

 morant is also black and white. Its throat and upper chest are 

 yellow. 



Mr. Mattingley, C.M.Z.S., and others claim that the Cormorant, 

 by feeding its young on yabbies, which, they say, prey on 

 fish eggs, saves many more fish in the young stage than it ever 

 eats in the adult stage, and hence it is really "a friend" of the 

 anglers and fish. One thing is certain — fish were formerly much 

 more abundant, and so were Cormorants. Anglers, collect evi- 

 dence, and balance good with evil. Cormorants have a long, nar- 

 row bill, with a strongly-hooked tip. They are such expert fishers 

 that in China they are much used to catch fish. Some will pro- 

 bably be surprised to learn that this custom formerly held in 

 England, for the "Master of the Cormorants" was once one of the 

 officers of the Royal household. 



Some Cormorants nest in company in the Murray swamps, while 

 others retire to a rocky island, such as Storehouse Island, east of 

 Flinders Island, to breed. 



These birds are expert swimmers and divers, so that one of the 

 common names for them is "Diver," but the true Divers, as 

 already pointed out, are Northern Hemisphere birds, and are 

 placed in Family 25. 



The Darter, or Snake Bird, is practically identical with the 

 Water-Turkey of the United States. Sometimes, when alarmed, 

 it submerges its body, leaving the head and neck exposed. It 

 swims rapidly in this position. Four of these birds are known, 

 and they are spread over America, Africa, Madagascar, Southern 

 Asia, New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand. The Darter was 

 frequently seen on a recent trip to Enoggera Reservoir, the storage 

 basin for Brisbane. The long, stiletto-like bill is used to impale 

 its prey, while the flexible neck assists the spearing operation. 



