1/4 BRITISH SEA BIRDS. 



beauty ; large white patches of silky feathers spring 

 out from the thighs, and the dark head and neck 

 become covered by feathery filaments of white. 

 Perhaps the Cormorant is most interesting when 

 engaged searching for food. This bird obtains its 

 food in various ways. Most frequently of all, it 

 swims to and fro, diving with a headlong plunge 

 at intervals ; sometimes it swims with its body low 

 in the water, and the head and neck below the 

 surface peering about in quest of fish. Less 

 frequently it takes up its station on a rock, or even 

 on a tree, from which it flies from time to time, 

 Kingfisher-like, to capture a fish near the surface ; 

 or occasionally it dives from such a situation, and 

 pursues its finny food far down into the crystal 

 depths. The Cormorant, however, never fishes 

 like the Gannets and the Terns, by a headlong 

 plunge from the sky. This bird may often be met 

 with fishing in fresh-water some distance inland. 

 Waterton records how it used to visit his lake 

 at Walton Hall ; but the habits of the bird on 

 sea and shore shall exclusively claim our attention 

 here. After a meal the Cormorant is very fond 

 of resorting to a rock to rest, and to dry its 

 plumage, standing perfectly motionless with its 

 wings uplifted and outspread. Few, if any, birds 

 can excel the Cormorant in diving : it vies with 

 the very fish themselves, and seems as much at 

 home beneath the surface of the water as in the 

 air. The Cormorant when taken young is easily 



