338 VORACITY OF THE CORMORANT. 



side with the greatest familiarity, Avhere it continued, 

 dressing its feathers, Tintil it was removed to the aquatic 

 menagerie. It became restless at the sight of water, and 

 when set at liberty, plunged and dived without intermission 

 for a considerable time, not capturing, or even discovering, 

 a single fish; and, apparently convinced there were none to - 

 be found, it made no further attempt for three days. 



The dexterity with which tlie cormorant seizes his prey 

 is incredible. Knowing its own powers, if a fish is thrown 

 into the water at a distance, it will dive immediately, pur- 

 suing its course underwater in a direct line toward the spot, 

 never failing to take the fish, and that frequently before it falls 

 to the bottom. The quantity it will swallow at a meal is aston- 

 ishing : three or four pounds twice a day are readily devoured, 

 the digestion being excessively rapid. If, by accident, a 

 large fish sticks in the gullet, it has the power of inflating 

 that part to the utmost, and Avhile in that state the head and 

 neck are violently shaken, in order to promote its passage. 

 In the act of fishing it always carries its head under water, 

 in order that it may discover its prey at a greater distance 

 and with more certainty than could be effected by keeping 

 its eyes above the surface, Avhich is agitated by the air, and 

 rendered unfit for visional purposes. If the fish is of the 

 flat kind, it Avill turn it in the bill, so as to reverse its natu- 

 ral position, and by this means only could such be got with- 

 in the bill. If it succeeds in capturing an eel — which is its 

 favorite food — in an unfavorable position for gorging, it will 

 throw the fish up some height, dexterously catching it in a 

 more fiivorable position as it descends. The cormorant 

 lives in perfect harmony with the wild swan, goose, various 

 sorts of duck, and other birds ; but to a gull with a piece of 

 fish it will instantly give chase. 



A writer relates : *' Several years ago I took a pair of 

 these birds from a nest among the rocks of Howth (Ireland), 

 and kept them for nearly two years, by which time they had 



