42 A BOOK OF BIRDS 



over Europe, and in America occurring along the Atlantic coast from 

 Hudson Bay to New Jersey. It is a rather large bird, being about 

 three feet long, of a wonderful bottle-green colour, and having 

 rather evil-looking emerald-green eyes. Its plumage is still further 

 remarkable, in that the sides of the neck are marked by long and 

 peculiar hair-like feathers, white in colour ; while a similar white 

 patch occurs on the thigh. This last, however, is worn only during 

 the summer months. 



The nestlings of the Cormorant are very ugly, and covered with a 

 short black down. This is succeeded by a brown plumage, and at 

 this time the eyes are also brown. Not until they are adult is the 

 dark dress assumed. 



The Cormorant is an expert diver, and lives upon fish, which it 

 pursues under water. The wonderful skill displayed in this pursuit 

 is turned to good account by the Chinese and Japanese, who keep 

 these birds and train them to catch fish. By the ingenious device of 

 placing an india-rubber ring around the neck, their masters prevent 

 the birds from swallowing their captures, and compel them to bring 

 each fish as it is caught to the raft from which the fishing is carried 

 on. From the time of the Stuart sovereigns until quite recently 

 Cormorant fishing of this kind was carried on as a sport in England. 



There are several species of Cormorants, the smallest being but 

 22 inches long. This species is found in Central and South Europe, 

 North Africa, and South-west and Central Asia. The largest species, 

 known as Harris's Cormorant, is nearly extinct, and is found only 

 on one of the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of South America. It 

 is much larger than the Common Cormorant, but has quite lost the 

 power of flight, and with it the keel of the breast-bone. 



Very nearly related to the Cormorants is a remarkable bird known 

 as the Darter (Plate III. fig. 9). From the Cormorants it differs 

 chiefly in the great length and slenderness of the neck, on which 

 account it is also known as the Snake-bird. The beak of the Darter 

 is, however, quite unlike that of the Cormorant, being very sharply 

 pointed, while its edges are armed with fine needle-like spines. 

 When fishing, the Darter spears his victim on this beak, and brings 

 it wriggling to the surface, when it is tossed up and swallowed. 



The subject of our illustration (Plate III. fig. 9) is a native o£ 



