PELECANID^E. 261 



fish with which they return grasped between their bills." 

 In some instances, a thong or string is tied round the lower 

 part of the neck of the bird, to prevent it from swallowing 

 the fish which it may catch. The Common Cormorant 

 breeds on the tops of rocks, on small rocky islands, or on 

 the ledges of cliffs, and forms a large nest of sticks and sea- 

 weed, lined with finer weeds and dry grass, and lays four 

 or five eggs, which are naturally white, but often become 

 greatly discoloured by contact with the materials of the 

 nest; beneath the white chalky covering of the egg, the 

 shell is of a green colour. The form of the egg is very 

 lengthened and narrow, and its size small for that of the 

 bird, though different specimens of the eggs vary consider- 

 ably in size. Mr. Water ton visited the rocks at Buckton, 

 in Yorkshire, in the middle of July, 1834, in order to find 

 the nests and observe the habits of this species, and on the 

 face of the Raincliff he found the birds breeding. He says : 

 " The Cormorants stayed not to witness my unwelcome de- 

 scent into their ancient and almost inaccessible settlement. 

 They all took wing as soon as we reached the edge of the 

 cliff, and went far away to sea. It was a difficult matter to 

 procure their eggs, for the nests were built in places where 

 the rocks overhung them ; and it was only by giving the 



