BIRDS. 



451 



->i*C- 



One more story, rather more apochryphal, must be told in connection 

 with the cormorants. In times long gone by, the cormorant was a dealer 

 in wool, and had for partners a brier and a bat. They sent their cargo by 



sea, and it was lost in 

 the waves, which caused 

 the firm to become bank- 

 rupt, — a disaster which 

 affected the three part- 

 ners in different ways, 

 as may be noticed to 

 the present time. The 

 bat keeps secluded until 

 night, so that he may 

 avoid the creditors ; the 

 brier tries to make good 

 the loss by pulling wool 

 from every passing sheep ; 

 while the cormorant is 

 continually diving into 

 the sea in hopes that he 

 may find the lost cargo. 

 It scarcely needs to he 

 said that this story be- 

 longs to the department 

 of unnatural history. 



In the snake-birds, or 

 darters, the neck reaches 

 its extreme development 

 in length, and, as one 

 watches a tropical pool 

 inhabited by these birds, 

 the appropriateness of the first-men- 

 tioned name is very apparent. While 

 fishing, almost the entire body is sub- 

 merged, while the long neck, small 

 head, and long beak, as they rise from 

 the water, have every appearance of a 

 large snake. There are four species of snake-birds, — one from America, 

 which occurs from Florida south to Brazil; one in Asia ; one in Africa; 

 and the fourth in Australia. All are fishers, and their abilities as divers 

 make it difficult to shoot them. They build their bulky nests of sticks. 



»m»»* 



Fig. 380.- 



•Nest of the cormorant (Phalacocorax 

 bicristatus). 



