TASTE OF PISCIVOROUS BIRDS. 161 



convinced that there were none to be found, it made 

 no farther attempt for three days. 



44 The dexterity, 5 ' continues Colonel Montagu, 

 " with which this bird seizes its prey is incredible. 

 Knowing* its own powers, if a fish is thrown into the 

 water at a distance, it will dive immediately, pursuing 

 its course under water, in a direct line towards the 

 spot, never failing to take the fish, and that frequently 

 before it falls to the bottom. The quantity it will 

 swallow at a meal is astonishing; three or four 

 pounds twice a day are readily devoured, the diges- 

 tion being excessively rapid. If by accident a large 

 fish sticks in the gullet, it has the power of inflating 

 that part to its utmost, and while in that state the 

 head and neck are violently shaken, in order to pro- 

 mote its passage. This is a property we never 

 observed in any other bird, but it is probably common 

 to the rest of the tribe, or such as are destitute of 

 nasal apertures. That all birds have a communica- 

 tion between their lungs and the cavity of their body 

 surrounding the viscera, more or less, is well known ; 

 but as there is no passage into the gullet (oesophagus) 

 but by the mouth, to effect this inflation a violent 

 compression of the body becomes necessary, at the 

 same time the bill is closed, and the air is forced 

 back into the mouth and pressed into the gullet. It 

 is observable that, in the act of fishing, this bird 

 always carries its head under water, in order that it 

 may discover its prey at a greater distance, and with 

 more certainty than could be effected by keeping its 

 eyes above the surface, which are agitated by the air, 

 and rendered unfit for visional purposes. If the fish 

 is of the flat kind it will turn it in the bill, so as to 

 reverse its natural position, and by this means only 

 could such be got within the bill ; if it succeeds in. 

 capturing an eel, which is its favourite food, in an 

 unfavourable position for gorging, it will throw the 

 fish up to a distance, dexterously catching it in a 



