374 HISTORY OF 



and in this manner carry it to the boat together. 

 There the boatman 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 plenti- 

 ful table ; but still their natural gluttony cannot 

 be reclaimed even by education. They have al- 

 ways, while they fish, the same string fastened 

 round their throats, to prevent them from devour- 

 ing 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 pur- 

 sues, and from a vast height drops down to dive 

 after its prey, offers one of the most amusing spec- 

 tacles 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 cormorant 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 unsuc- 

 cessful dip, and is often seen rising heavily, with 

 a fish larger than it can readily devour. It some- 

 times also happens, that the cormorant has caught 

 the fish by the tail, and consequently the fins 



