HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



377 



great assiduity, whose voice at this time resembles the 

 hissing of snakes. 



The Cormorant is a very dexterous and voracious 

 fisher, committing great havoc when it visits pools 

 and lakes ; but it almost constantly resides on the sea 

 shores, and is seldom seen inland. Swimming beneath 

 the water with the velocity of a dart in the air, and 

 remaining a long time submerged, its prey scarcely 

 ever escapes, and it almost 'always rises with a fish in 

 its bill, to swallow which it employs the expedient of 

 tossing it into the air, and dexterously catches the 

 head in its descent, so that the fins lie flat, and thus 

 favor the passage down the throat ; the small pouch 

 at the same time stretches so as to admit the whole 

 body of the fish, which is often very large in propor 

 tion to the neck, and it there remains undergoing a 

 preparatory digestion previous to its passage into the 

 lower part of the stomach. 



In some countries, as in China, and formerly in 

 England, the dexterity of the Cormorant in fishing 

 was turned to profit ; for, by buckling a ring about 

 the lower part of the neck, to prevent deglutition, and 

 accustoming it to return with its acquisitions in the 

 bill to its master, it was made a useful and domestic 

 fisher. On the rivers of China, Cormorants, thus 

 fixed, are perched on the prows of boats, and at a 

 signal made by striking the water with an oar, they 

 instantly plunge, and soon emerge with a fish, which 

 is taken from them ; and this toil continued till its 

 master is satisfied, he looses the collar, and finishes 

 the task by allowing it to fish for itself. But it is 

 only hunger which gives activity to the Cormorant ; 

 when glutted with its meal, which is soon acquired, it 

 relaxes into its native indolence, and dozes away the 

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