THE CORMORANT. 



207 



But notwithstanding the seeming heaviness 

 of its make, there are few birds more power- 

 fully predaceous. As soon as the winter ap- 

 proaches, they are seen dispersed along the 

 sea-shore, and ascending up the mouths of 

 fresh-water rivers, carrying destruction to all 

 the finny tribe. They are most remarkably 

 voracious, and have a most sudden digestion. 

 Their appetite is for ever craving, and never 

 satisfied. This gnawing sensation may pro- 

 bably be increased by the great quantity of 

 small worms that fill their intestines, and 

 which their unceasing gluttony contributes to 

 engender. 



Thus formed with the grossest appetites, 

 this unclean bird has the most rank and dis- 

 agreeable smell, and is more fetid than even 

 carrion, when in its most healthful state. Its 

 form, says an ingenious modern, is disagree- 

 able ; its voice is hoarse and croaking ; and 

 all its qualities obscene. No wonder then 

 that Milton should make Satan personate this 

 bird, when he sent him upon the basest pur- 

 poses, to survey with pain the beauties of 

 Paradise, and to sit devising death on the tree 

 of life. 1 It has been remarked, however, of 



and with almost as much effect, as their parents. When 

 unfledged in the nest, the young of this species, if alarmed 

 by an approach, raise the head and neck to the full stretch, 

 at the same time gaping wide, and vibrating in a curi- 

 ous manner the loose skin of the neck and throat, accom- 

 panied by a constant and querulous cry. In winter, cor- 

 morants are frequently seen in our rivers and lakes at a 

 considerable distance from the sea, where they occasion- 

 ally perch and roost in such trees as grow upon the im- 

 mediate banks. They feed entirely on fish, which they 

 obtain by active pursuit beneath the surface of the water, 

 and having the gullet very large and dilatable, they are 

 enabled to swallow those of considerable size. The prey 

 is killed by being squeezed in their powerful and hooked 

 bill, and always swallowed head foremost ; and should the 

 fish happen to have been awkwardly captured for this 

 operation, it is tossed into the air, and in descending 

 caught in a more favourable position. In swimming, 

 the body of this bird is almost entirely submerged, the 

 head and part of the neck only being visible. Montagu 

 also observes, that when in the act of looking for its 

 prey, it always carries the head under water, being able 

 thus to discover it at a greater distance than if the eyes 

 were kept above the surface, which is generally in some 

 degree agitated. It may frequently be observed stand- 

 ing upon the shore or rocks, with the wings expanded, 

 for several minutes at a time, in order to dry the feathers 

 and bring them to the proper state for preening, as 

 they are apt to become wet from long continued div- 

 ing, causing the gradual loss of the oily matter that 

 partly defends them from the action of the water. 

 This species is a native of the new as well as of the 

 ancient continent, being found in various parts of North 

 America ; it is also met with in Northern Asia, and 

 in Europe its distribution is wide, extending to high 

 latitudes. The bronchi in this bird are of great length, 

 and of equal diameter, issuing from the lower larynx, 

 which is formed of a single cartilaginous ring. Im- 

 mediately below the glottis, the tube is enlarged, but 

 soon contracts, and remains of the same diameter through 

 the rest of its course. Selhy's British Ornithology, 

 Vol. II. 

 1 Vide Pennant's Zoology, j>. 177. 



our poet, that the making a water-fowl perch 

 upon a tree, implied no great acquaintance 

 with the 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 



sm as fit for perching 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 (o breed 

 this bird up tame, for the purpose of fishing ; 

 and Willoughby assures us, it was once used 

 in England for that purpose. The descrip- 

 tion 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 hoods; and having 

 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 wonderful 

 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 their birds on 

 some high place, they loose the string from 

 their necks, leaving the passage to the sto- 

 mach 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 

 dexterously, as they are falling in the air. 



At present the cormorant is trained in 

 every part of China for the same purpose, 

 where there are many lakes and canals. 

 " To this end,'' says Le Compte, " they are 

 educated 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 his 

 orders with patience. When arrived at the 



