372 HISTORY or 



tree, implied no great acquaintance with the his- 

 tory of nature. In vindication of Milton, Aris- 

 totle 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 cormo- 

 rant's toes seem 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 criti- 

 cism. 



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 ; if 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 in- 

 duced some nations to breed this bird up tame, 

 for the purposes of fishing ; and Willoughby as- 

 sures us it was once used in England for that pur- 

 pose. 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 hoods ; 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 wonderful swiftness, pursue the 

 fish ; and when they have caught them, rise to the 



