WATER-FOWL. 



581 



history of nature. In vindication of Milton, 

 Aristotle expressly says, that the cormorant is 

 the only water-fowl that sits on trees. We 

 have already seen the pelican of this number; 

 and the cormorant's toes seem as fit for perch- 

 ing upon trees as for swimming ; so that our 

 epic bard seems to have been as deeply versed 

 in natural history as in criticism. 



Indeed this bird seems to be of a multiform 

 nature; and wherever fish are to be found, 

 watches their migrations. It is seen as well 

 by land as sea ; it fishes in fresh-water lakes, 

 as well as in the depths of the ocean ; it builds 

 in the cliffs of rocks, as well as on trees; 

 and preys not only in the day-time, but by 

 night. 



Its indefatigable nature, and its great power 

 in catching fish, were probably the motives 

 that induced some nations to breed this bird 

 up tame, for the purposes of fishing ; and 

 Willoughby assures us, it was once used in 

 England for that purpose. The description 

 of their manner of fishing is thus delivered by 

 Faber. " When they carry them out of the 

 rooms where they are kept, to the fish-pools, 

 they hoodwink them, that they may not be 

 frighted by the way. When they are come to 

 the rivers, they take off their hood ; and hav- 

 ing tied a leather thong round the lower part 

 of their necks, that they may not swallow 

 down the fish they catch, they throw them 

 into the river. They presently dive under 

 water ; and there for a long time, with won- 

 derful swiftness, pursue the fish ; and when 

 they have caught them, rise to the top of the 

 water, and pressing the fish lightly with their 

 bills, swallow them ; till each bird hath, after 

 this manner, devoured five or six fishes. 

 Then their keepers call them to the fist, to 

 which they readily fly; and, one after another, 

 vomit up all their fish, a little bruised with 

 the first nip, given in catching them. When 

 they have done fishing, setting the birds on 

 some high place, they loose the string from 

 their necks, leaving the passage to the stomach 

 free and open ; and, for their reward, they 

 throw them part of their prey ; to each one or 

 two fishes, which they will catch most dexter- 

 ously, as they are falling in the air." 



At present, the cormorant is trained up in 

 every part of China for the same purpose, 

 where there are many lakes and canals. " To 

 this end," says Le Compte, " they are edu- 



cated as men rear up spaniels or hawks, and 

 one man can easily manage a hundred. The 

 fisher carries them out into the lake, perched 

 on the gunnel of his boat, where they continue 

 tranquil, and expecting hisorders with patience. 

 When arrived at the proper place, at the first 

 signal given each flies a different way to fulfil 

 the task assigned it. It is very pleasant, on 

 this occasion, to behold with what sagacity 

 they portion out the lake or the canal where 

 they are upon duty. They hunt about, they 

 plunge, they rise an hundred times to the sur- 

 face, until they have at last found their prey. 

 They then seize it with their beak by the 

 middle, and carry it without fail to their mas- 

 ter. When the fish is too large, they then 

 give each other mutual assistance : one seizes 

 it by the head, the other by the tail, and in 

 this manner carry it to the boat together. 

 There the boat-man stretches out one of his 

 long oars, on which they perch, and being 

 delivered of their burden, they fly off to pursue 

 their sport. When they are wearied, he lets 

 them rest for a while ; but they are never fed 

 till their work is over. In this manner they 

 supply a very plentiful table ; but still their 

 natural gluttony cannot be reclaimed even by 

 education. They have always, while they 

 fish, the same string fastened round their 

 throats, to prevent them from devouring their 

 prey, as otherwise they would at once satiate 

 themselves, and discontinue their pursuit the 

 moment they had filled their bellies." 



As for the rest, the cormorant is the best 

 fisher of all birds ; and though fat and heavy 

 with the quantity it devours, is nevertheless 

 generally upon the wing. The great activity 

 with which it pursues, and from a vast hefght 

 drops down to dive after its prey, offers one of 

 the most amusing spectacles to those who 

 stand upon a cliff on the shore. This large 

 bird is seldom seen in the air, but where there 

 are fish below ; but then they must be near 

 the surface, before it will venture to souse 

 upon them. If they are at a depth beyond 

 what the impetus of its flight makes the cor- 

 morant capable of diving to, they certainly 

 escape him ; for this bird cannot move so fast 

 under water, as the fish can swim. It seldom, 

 however, makes an unsuccessful dip; and is 

 often seen rising heavily, with a fish larger 

 than it can readily devour. It sometimes also 

 happens, that the cormorant has caught the 



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