14 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



siderable ease. In the water they swim low, with 

 the tail awash, the Darters only showing head 

 and neck ; they dive most excellently. 



FLIGHT. Direct and powerful, much like a duck's, but 

 with some sailing intervals ; in starting off the 

 water they rise heavily and strike it with both feet 

 together, not running on it like some ducks. Cor- 

 morants extend the whole neck in flight ; Darters 

 carry it semi-retracted ; both extend the feet. 



NOTE. Harsh and croaking ; but they are not noisy 

 birds. 



DISPOSITION AND HABITS. They are rather sociable 

 when breeding, but quarrelsome ; fierce, wary and 

 intelligent ; they spend little time in the water 

 when not fishing, and are fond of sitting perched 

 with outspread wings when first leaving it. 



ECONOMIC QUALITIES. Cormorants are destructive 

 where the fresh -water fish are of value ; they have 

 locally some value as articles of food and guano - 

 producers. 



CAPTIVITY. Cormorants are easily kept, and the com- 

 mon European species (Phalacrocorax carbo) has 

 bred ; in China it is domesticated, being regularly 

 bred, the young reared by hand after hatching 

 under hens, and trained to catch fish as a source of 

 profit. 



DISTRIBUTION AND IMPORTANT SPECIES. There are 

 three dozen species of Cormorants and three of 

 the very long-necked straight-billed Darters 

 (Plotus) . The latter are confined to warm climates ; 

 one inhabits Africa and Asia Minor, one Southern 

 Asia, one Australia, and one tropical America. 

 The first three are all much alike, and the Indian 

 species is well known as " Snake-bird " ; the 

 American, among other differences, has a pale 

 tip to the tail. All are arboreal fresh-water 

 birds. 



