THE AQUATIC BIRDS 
OF 
GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 
Order STEGANOPODES. 
Family PELECANIDA4. 
CORMORANT. Phalacrocorax carbo (Linneus). 
Coloured Figures—Gould, ‘Birds of Great Britain,’ vol. v, 
pl. 52; Dresser, ‘Birds of Europe,’ vol vi, pl. 388; 
Lilford, ‘Coloured Figures,’ vol. vii, pl. 1. 
THrs voracious bird inhabits both fresh and salt water, 
and is of frequent occurrence on those larger lakes and 
rivers which yield an abundant supply of fish. It is 
plentiful and widely distributed along the coasts of the 
British Islands, though on the wild western sea-board of 
Scotland and Ireland, its congener the Shag—with which 
it 1s often confounded—is much more numerous. 
Most of us are familiar with the dark figure of the sturdy 
Cormorant, whether seen resting on a post or buoy, gorged 
with food, motionless and unattractive, or standing on a 
rock with outstretched and dripping wings, or speeding 
across the tideway towards its favourite fishing-haunts. 
When swimming, the greater part of the body of this 
bird is submerged, indeed its long neck and head are 
practically all that can be seen of it; hence it often 
escapes observation, even at close quarters. As a general 
rule this species is shy and watchful on the water, and 
can only be observed satisfactorily through a binocular. 
Food.—The Cormorant feeds almost entirely on fish, 
which are captured at varying depths beneath the surface, 
i 
