48 THE FOOD OF ANIMALS 



the feathers of the neck and back of the head shows when the 

 moment for attack has arrived. It throws itself with such force 

 on the reptile that very often the latter does not survive the first 

 blow." The author then goes on to describe the skilful way in 

 which the bird avoids being bitten by the snake if the first attack 

 is unsuccessful, using its wings as a kind of shield and its powerful 

 feet as the chief weapons of offence. 



Some raptorial birds feed chiefly on fish, as in the case of 

 certain owls which hunt their prey in rivers, ponds, and canals, 

 while the widely-distributed Osprey or Fishing- Eagle (Pandion) 

 swoops down on sea-fish which come sufficiently near the surface, 

 holding them by its powerful talons aided by the roughened under- 

 surfaces of its feet. 



FISH-EATING BIRDS 



Raptorial birds, whatever may be their prey, rely upon their 

 mobile and powerfully - armed feet for its capture, but in other 

 cases the beak is the seizing organ, its shape varying according 

 to the kind of food, which also determines the nature of the 

 hunting tactics. A number of very interesting cases are pre- 

 sented by fish-eating birds. In these the beak is strong, pointed,, 

 and commonly with its edge more or less saw -like, so as to 

 securely hold the slippery prey (compare Hesperornis, p. 45), or, 

 for the same reason, it may be hooked at the tip. Marked powers 

 of locomotion are the rule, and the vision is keen. Cormorants, 

 of which there are two native species, the large Black Cormorant 

 (Phalacrocorax carbo) and the smaller Green Cormorant or Shag 

 (P. graculus), are good examples of fishing birds. Perched on 

 some convenient spot close to the water, they pounce suddenly 

 down upon their victims; but this is by no means their only or 

 even chief resource, for, being extremely expert swimmers and 

 divers, they pursue fish on more than equal terms in the water, 

 a favourite habit being to swim swiftly with their heads sub- 

 merged. 



A small Green Cormorant (P. Capensis), closely allied to the 

 last-named bird, is common on the coast of South Africa, and 

 Millais (in A Breath from the Veldt) gives the following interest- 

 ing account of its feeding habits: " Should the traveller be so 

 disposed, an interesting sight may be witnessed any day by 



