CORMORANTS. 125 



ORDER STEGANOPODES. 



FAM. PELECANID^E. 



COKMOEANT. Phalacrocorax carlo, (L.) 



Yanell, iv. p. 143; Dresser, vi. p. ii; Seebohm, in. p. 650; 

 Ibis List, p. 105 ; Graculus carbo, flartiny, p. 75 ; Pelecanus 

 carbo, Pulteney's List, p. 21. 



The Cormorant is resident and tolerably common 

 along the coast, breeding notably at Ballard Down, be- 

 tween Swanage and Studland, and at Whitenore. It 

 sometimes visits Morden Lake, and there is a tradi- 

 tion of the former existence of a Cormorant's nest in 

 a tree on the Stour, near Langton, Blandford. One 

 in my collection was shot some years ago at Stafford 

 on the River Frome. In Poole harbour and in Wey- 

 mouth Fleet twenty or thirty may sometimes be seen 

 together fishing at low tide. In the month of June 

 the ledges of the perpendicular cliffs round Old 

 Harry are covered with nests and unfledged young. 

 Nothing looks more weird than these grim, ungainly 

 creatures as they sit watching every movement of 

 the intruder who ventures on the brink of the cliff 

 to survey their domain. At this season of the year 

 the old birds may be seen flying to and from the 

 harbour for fish all day long. They then often pitch 

 in the Wareham river, which lies in the direct line 

 of flight from Lulworth to Poole. 1 



1 See The Zoologist, 1877, p. 384. 



