

COMMON CORMORANT. 483 



a large prey. When fishing they are frequently observed 

 to carry their heads under water, perhaps that vision may 

 not be interfered with by the ripple on the surface. They 

 are frequently seen sitting on posts, rails, or leafless trees 

 by the water side, when, if a fish should move on the 

 surface within their sight, it is pounced upon, and caught 

 to a certainty. An eel is a favourite morsel with him, 

 and a Cormorant has been seen to pick up an eel from 

 the mud, return to the rail he was previously sitting 

 upon, strike the eel three or four hard blows against the 

 rail, toss it up into the air, and catching it by the head 

 in its fall, swallow it in an instant. Cormorants on the 

 wing frequently follow the course of a river many miles 

 inland ; sometimes, perhaps, mistaking stone buildings 

 for rocks, as a few years ago a Cormorant was shot on 

 King^s College Chapel, in Cambridge. 



That Cormorants possess considerable intelligence is 

 shown by several circumstances. They are easily re- 

 conciled to confinement; and Montagu, in his Supple- 

 ment, relates an interesting account of one that very soon 

 became so tame and attached, that it seemed to be never 

 so happy as when permitted to remain by the side of its 

 owner. They were formerly trained to catch and bring 

 fish to their masters. Whitelock tells us, says Pennant, 

 that he had a cast of them manned like hawks, and which 

 would come to hand. He took much pleasure in them, 

 and relates, that the best he had was one presented him 

 by Mr. Wood, Master of the Cormorants to Charles I. 

 The Chinese are said to use them at the present time ; the 

 bird is taken to the water side ; a metal ring, or leather 

 strap, by way of collar is put on his neck, and he is then 

 set at liberty to catch a fish, which he brings to hand 

 when called, a small cord being attached to him, while in 



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