DIVERS, GREBES, AND CORMORANTS. 173 



thologists, may not be seen ; whilst even in summer 

 it is sufficiently widely dispersed to merit us 

 classing it as common. It is, however, seldom 

 seen off low-lying coasts, save after the breeding 

 season, or except such individuals as have not 

 yet reached maturity. There is but one other 

 British species with which the Cormorant may 

 be confused, and that is the Shag ; but even then 

 the difference in size is sufficiently great for the 

 much larger Cormorant to be readily identified. 

 Very black, very heavy, and very clumsy the 

 Cormorant looks, as he rises in slow cumbersome 

 flight from the sea, or unfolds his big, bronzed- 

 green wings, and flutters into the air from a rock 

 shelf, or sea-girdled pinnacle ; but very soon one's 

 opinion of him undergoes a change, as, when once 

 fairly on his way, he passes swiftly enough over 

 the sea to a distant resting place, or after flying 

 some distance, pitches down into the water. The 

 colours of the Cormorant are not seen to best 

 advantage at a distance. Certainly the prevailing 

 colour is black, but this is richly loricated with 

 green and purple tints, whilst most of the upper 

 plumage of the body is a beautiful bronzy-brown, 

 the feathers being margined with soft velvety-black, 

 shot with green ; the throat is white, as are also the 

 sides of the head ; whilst the bright yellow gape 

 and bare portions of the throat form a pleasing 

 contrast to the more sombre hues. As the breeding 

 season approaches the Cormorant increases in 



