THE AQUATIC BIRDS 



OF 



GREAT BRITAIN 



Order STEGANOPODES. 



Family PELECANHLE. 



CORMORANT. Phalacrocorax carbo (Linnaeus). 



Coloured Figures. Gould, * Birds of Great Britain,' vol. v, 

 pi. 52 ; Dresser, ' Birds of Europe,' vol vi, pi. 388 ; 

 Lilford, ' Coloured Figures,' vol. vii, pi. 1. 



THIS voracious bird inhabits both fresh and salt water, 

 and is of frequent occurrence on those larger lakes and 

 rivers which yield an abundant supply of fish. It is 

 plentiful and widely distributed along the coasts of the 

 British Islands, though on the wild western sea-board of 

 Scotland and Ireland, its congener the Shag with which 

 it is often confounded is much more numerous. 



Most of us are familiar with the dark figure of the sturdy 

 Cormorant, whether seen resting on a post or buoy, gorged 

 with food, motionless and unattractive, or standing on a 

 rock with outstretched and dripping wings, or speeding 

 across the tideway towards its favourite fishing-haunts. 



When swimming, the greater part of the body of this 

 bird is submerged, indeed its long neck and head are 

 practically all that can be seen of it ; hence it often 

 escapes observation, even at close quarters. As a general 

 rule this species is shy and watchful on the water, and 

 can only be observed satisfactorily through a binocular. 



Food. The Cormorant feeds almost entirely on fish, 

 which are captured at varying depths beneath the surface, 

 1 



