420 THE CORMORANT. 



Wild and desolate as are the habitations of these birds, 

 and little as they seem to have in common with man, 

 yet, judging from one which was caught young, and 

 reared, they are not only docile, but grateful and affec- 

 tionate. This bird*, though it had fasted twenty-four 

 hours, during its journey by coach to the place where it 

 was sent as a present, refused every sort of food. It 

 was, therefore, crammed with raw flesh, as no fish could 

 be procured. It submitted patiently to this forced meat, 

 and was left by the gentleman, who retired to his library 

 after seeing it fed, but who was not a little surprised, in 

 a few minutes, to see the bird walking boldly into the 

 room, and, when before the fire, beginning to plume its 

 feathers, as much at ease as if seated on its native rocks. 

 It was removed to a menagerie, and supplied with water, 

 into which it immediately plunged, and manifested much 

 restlessness, as if disappointed in not finding fish. After 

 this it gradually became more docile, and fed upon what- 

 ever was offered; and, if let out, never attempted to 

 ramble, but walked direct to the house, would enter the- 

 first open door, without caring either for men or dogs; 

 and, in short, at last becoming troublesomely tame. 



This is fully corroborated by another account of a 

 couple of these birds, which were brought up from the 

 nest, and kept for nearly two years. The owner found 

 them pleasant pets enough, unless when pressed by hun- 

 ger, when they became quite outrageous, and screamed 

 violently. But woe to the man or animals that ventured 

 to approach them when hungry. One day a gentleman's 

 servant went in to look at them, wearing, unfortunately 

 for himself, a pair of red plush breeches, which imme- 

 diately caught their attention, mistaking them, probably, 

 for raw flesh, as they had been accustomed to be fed on 

 raw liver and lights, resembling the plush, in some 

 degree, in colour: the consequence was, they made such 

 a furious charge, that the owner was obliged to come to 

 his assistance with a stick, and even then could not keep 



# See MONTAGUE'S Ornithol. Diet. 



