2A Mackay, Habits of the Double-crested Cormorant. \ }"n 



those coming later located on the mesa top of the main high 

 rock, before going to which I could plainly see them flying 

 about the rock and alighting in the water The formation of 

 Cormorant Rock is such that it shelves towards the west, 

 and I think there were undoubtedly many more birds there 

 which I could not see, owing to my point of observation (West 

 Island) being to the eastward of the rocks. 



When wounded and on the water the neck is carried upright 

 to its fullest extent, with the bill invariably pointed upward at 

 an angle of forty-five degrees, giving the birds a most snaky 

 appearance. As they are expert divers and swimmers, it is next 

 to impossible to retrieve them when only wing-broken or 

 wounded. When dead and floating they have less buoyancy 

 than any water bird I ever shot, the head and neck sinking below 

 the surface and apparent!)' dragging down the body by their 

 weight, so that the bird makes but little more show than a dead 

 Old Squaw ( Clangula hyemalis) . 



I was naturally curious to know what effect my invasion of 

 their precinct had on these birds ; so on the day after my visit to 

 the rocks, and occasionally for several days following during the 

 remainder of my trip, I looked for them through the large glass. 

 At noon, on April 20, there were eighteen birds standing on the 

 highest part of the mesa rock. These I think were probably some 

 which had not come to the rocks during the time I was there, for 

 with this exception they were the only ones I saw on the rocks 

 during the remainder of the time (several days) I was at West 

 Island. At sunset, on April 20, the birds were flying about the 

 rock and alighting in the water as usual, the weather still continu- 

 ing moderate and the sea calm ; but none apparently dared to 

 alight on the rocks, at least as long as it was light enough for me 

 to see them through the glass, and considerable distrust had 

 apparently been created as to the rocks being that place of security 

 and rest they had been led by long occupancy to suppose. I, 

 however, sincerely hope and believe that they will be well over 

 their troubles long before next spring, and back to their customary 

 home on the rocks as usual. 



When flying south on migration, their manner of flight resem- 

 bles that of migrating Geese. They first appear on the Massa- 

 chusetts coast about the middle of August, the height of the 



