174 BRITISH SEA “BERS. 
beauty ; large white patches of silky feathers spring 
out from the thighs, and the dark head and neck 
become covered by feathery filaments of white. 
Perhaps the Cormorant is most interesting when 
engaged searching for food. This bird obtains its 
food in various ways. Most frequently of all, it 
swims to and fro, diving with a headlong plunge 
at intervals; sometimes it swims with its body low 
in the water, and the head and neck below the 
surface peering about in quest of fish. Less 
frequently it takes up its station on a rock, or even 
on a tree, from which it flies from time to time, 
Kingfisher-like, to capture a fish near the surface ; 
or occasionally it dives from such a situation, and 
pursues its finny food far down into the crystal 
depths. The Cormorant, however, never fishes 
like the Gannets and the Terns, by a headlong 
plunge from the sky. This bird may often be met 
with fishing in fresh-water some distance inland. 
Waterton records how it used to visit his lake 
at Walton Hall; but the habits of the bird on 
sea and shore shall exclusively claim our attention 
here. After a meal the Cormorant is very fond 
of resorting to a rock to rest, and to dry its 
plumage, standing perfectly motionless with its 
wings uplifted and outspread. Few, if any, birds 
can excel the Cormorant in diving: it vies with 
the very fish themselves, and seems as much at 
home beneath the surface of the water as in the 
air. The Cormorant when taken young is easily 
