BIRDS FOUND NEAR SHORE OR IN BAYS 49 
be distinguished by an expert. Both nest in colonies 
on the South Farallone, and Mr. Corydon Chamberlin, 
in the “ Nidologist,” 1895, reports a rookery at Clear 
Lake, California. Early in May it constructs a shallow 
nest, about a foot in diameter, lined with Farallone weed 
and kelp. Occasionally one attempts to carry a long, 
bulky-looking string of the latter, which trails behind 
him as he flies, making him look like a winged polliwog. 
They mould these nests to a roundness by sitting on 
them, turning awkwardly about and working the kelp 
into place with feet and bill, but with none of the flut- 
tering movements of wings and tail apparent in the nest- 
building of land birds. After the nest is begun, one or 
the other of the parent birds is constantly present, and 
even then it isa hard struggle to keep the Western gulls 
from stealing the nesting material as fast as it is brought. 
The newly hatched Cormorants lack the down of most 
young sea-birds and are not handsome babies, their fat 
bodies and grotesque long necks being covered with a 
leathery-looking black skin. My observations convince 
me that they are fed by regurgitation for the first twenty- 
four hours or longer; this is, if possible, a more ludicrous 
process of “ pumping” than in the case of young herons. 
After this regurgitation period comes a time when live 
fish is brought to the nest and torn or chewed by the 
adults before being given to the nestlings. As soon as 
the latter are able to manage live fish, small carp are 
popped into their throats head first, and swallowed with 
curious gulpings. Hach meal is followed by a rest time, 
1 See Brandt Cormorant. 
4 
