THE COEMOEANT. 2S7 



its living sepulclire, still struggling to escape ; the Cormorant 

 re- swallows it again ; tlie eel still resists, and increases its efforts 

 to escape ; worn out at last by its prolonged and useless efforts, the 

 victim is finally compelled to resign itself to its fate. 



The appetite of the Cormorant is insatiable. The havoc which 

 it commits in rivers is very great, for one day's consumption 

 frequently amounts to six or eight pounds of fish : these it pursues 

 principally under water, for it is an expert diver, and most suc- 

 cessful in its search for its prey. In consequence of the skill 

 displayed by the Cormorant in fishing, and the ease with which 

 it is tamed, it is reared in a semi-domestic state in certain parts 

 of Eastern Asia. The Chinese and Japanese are the nations 

 who best know how to utilise the habits of these birds. When 

 thus used a ring is placed round their necks to prevent them 

 swallowing their prey, before turning them loose in waters 

 which abound with the finny tribes. The Cormorants, trained 

 to obey their master's voice, and balked in their attemj)ts 

 to swallow by the ring round the neck, bring to their owner 

 all fish they capture. Sir George Stanton, in his embassy to 

 China, having reached Len-tze, famed for its breed of these 

 birds, found them to be a species somewhat resembling the Com- 

 mon Cormorant, described by Dr. Shaw as a Brown Cormorant 

 with white throat, the body whitish beneath, spotted with 

 brown ; the tail rounded ; irides blue, and bill yellow ; which he 

 named P halacrocorax sineiisis. " On a large lake," Sir George 

 says, " close to this part of the canal, and to the eastward 

 of it, are thousands of small boats and rafts built entirely for this 

 species of fishery. On each boat or raft are ten or a dozen birds, 

 which, at a signal from the owner, plunge into the water ; and 

 it is astonishing to see the enormous size of fish with which 

 they return. They appeared to be so well trained that it did 

 not require either ring or cord round their necks to prevent 

 them swallowing their prey, except when they received the per- 

 mission of their master to do so, as an encouragement for their 

 labours." 



The dexterity with which the Cormorant seizes its prey is such 

 that if a dead fish is thrown into the water from a distance, the bird 

 will dive immediately, pursuing its course in a direct line to the 



