O F B I R D S. 337 



quill and the cover feathers of the wings, which are black ; the 

 tail fcarce an inch long, and not feen for the wings over ir. The 

 quills are large, making excellent writing-pens. With its bill it 

 makes an unufual kind of noife, by ftrikingone chap againft the 

 other, in a quick and forcible manner. It feeds upon fifli, frogs, 

 and ferpents, but will not meddle with toads. It is common in 

 many parts beyond fea, in Holland, and Germany. It builds on old 

 towers, and other buildings, and fometimes on the tops of tall 

 truncated trees. The cafe of the bird killed here was fixed againft 

 the weft front-wall of the inn, where it remained for a long time, 

 with the erroneous name of that more rare bird, the Flamingo, put 

 up under it in writing ; a bird of quite a different figure and co- 

 lour. However, this wrong name drew together crowds of peo- 

 ple from the adjacent parts to fee it, who for fome time returned 

 fatisfied that they had feen the Flamingo, the moft remarkable 

 bird hitherto known. 



I might name fome other migratory Fiffipedcs, as the Woodcock, 

 &c. but as they are common, I pafs on to the Palmipedes. 



i. The Cormorant fa}" is frequent in our larger rivers and lakes, 

 efpecially in thofe towards the fea. Its upper plumage is a deep 

 olive-brown, with a changeable glow of green ; the brcaft and 

 belly a bright white. The beak is three inches and a half long, ro- 

 buft, and curvated at the extremity ; the upper mandible black, 

 and ferrated at the edges ; the lower one comprefled, and co- 

 vered at the bafe with a naked yellow fkin. The legs are ftrong, 

 and armed with a kind of cancellated fcales ; the interior part 

 of the claw of the middle toe ferrated. It breeds upon the 



(a) Corvus aquaticus. Will. Orn. p. 248. t. 63. Raj, Av. p. 122. n. 3. Peiccanus 

 fubtus albicans j rechicibus quatuorJecim. Lir.n. Faun. Suec. p. 42. n. 116. 



VOL. I. X x iflands 



