CORMORANT. 61 



of writers long departed. For instance, Dean Munroe, who visited 

 nearly the whole of the British islands between 1540 and 1549, has 

 left a quaint account of what he saw. In describing Eigg Island, he 

 says : " North from Elian about foure myles lyes ane iyle called iyle 

 of egga, four myle lange and twa myle braid, guid maine land with a 

 Paroch kirk in it and maney Solane geese." One cannot exactly see 

 how the two things should in this curt way be associated. 



The Solan Geese live chiefly on herring and other fish which are 

 veiy irregular in their movements, and the birds have, therefore, 

 often to travel a long distance to obtain food for their young. As 

 soon as the young birds are able to fly, they all leave the rocks, and 

 follow the shoals of fish, wherever they are to be found, returning 

 again to their familiar rocks in March or April. 



Family PHALACROCORACID^. Cormorants. 



Genus PHALACROCORAX Brisson. 



PHALACROCORAX CARBO (Linn.). 



31. Cormorant. (119) 



General plumage, black, glossed with blue, a white patch on the throat and 

 another on the sides of the body ; in summer the head is crested with long 

 narrow feathers, which fall ofi' when the breeding season is over ; the white 

 patches on the throat and sides also disappear about the same time. Length, 

 36 inches. 



Hab.^ — Coasts of the North Atlantic, south in winter on the coast of the 

 United States, casually to the Carolinas ; breeding from the Bay of Fiuidy to 

 Greenland. 



Nest, on precipitous rocks, built of sticks and sea-weed, kept in a filthy con- 

 dition from the refuse of the larder, etc. 



Eggs, four or five, pale bluish-green. 



Although the Cormorants are generally birds of the sea coast, 

 when not specially engaged at home, they make periodical excursions, 

 to the lakes, where no doubt they find the change of food and scenery 

 very agreeable. In spring and fall they are occasionally seen in 

 Hamilton Bay, and at other points in Southern Ontario, following 

 their usual avocation of fishing. Not long since, with the aid of a 

 powerful glass, I watched one sitting on a buoy out off" the wharves, 

 and could not but admire the graceful motions of his long, lithe 

 neck, as he preened his plumage in conscious safety. The inspection 



