222 FULLY WEB-FOOTED BIRDS 



the Yellowstone Park, where it breeds regularly every sum- 

 mer, to the great delight of all tourists who care for the sight 

 of what is called a "pelicanery." In winter southern Texas 

 is the haven for this bird, as well as for so many other swim- 

 ming birds, but the fishermen are determined to secure a law 

 providing for its extermination. 



THE CORMORANT FAMILY 



Phalacrocoracidae 



The Cormorant 1 is to me a most uninteresting bird. 

 Month in and month out I have seen them perching, and 

 perching — on spar buoys in harbors, on mud-bank stakes, and 

 on dead trees alongshore and up-stream. For days together 

 have Cormorants fled up-stream before my boat, yet never 

 once have I seen a wild Cormorant do an interesting thing. 

 Instead of getting out and hustling for fish, like the pelican, 

 or taking delight in architecture, like the osprey, the Cor- 

 morant tiresomely perches, and waits, Micawber-like, for 

 something to turn up. 



In captivity it does better. In our Flying-Cage pool, the 

 Cormorants play with sticks, and dive for amusement, more 

 than any other bird, except the brown pelican. In fact, it 

 seems like a different creature from the wild bird. 



The Cormorant is, in general terms, a dull black bird, 

 wholly devoid of colored plumage. Its range is given as 

 "coasts of the North Atlantic, south in winter on the coast of 

 the United States, casually, to the Carolinas." It lives upon 

 fish, and wanders inland much farther than might be supposed. 



1 Phal-a-cro-co'rax car'bo. Average length, 34 inches. 



