o7G " HIoTOUTf OF 



At present the cormorant is trained in every part of China for 

 the same purpose, where there are many lakes and canals. " To 

 this end," says Le Compte, " they are educated as men rear up 

 spaniels or hawks, and one man can easily manage a hundred. 



qiiently an easy matter to catch them in a net, or even by moans of a noose 

 thrown over their heads. We are informed by the Kev. Mr Bingly, tliat, 

 in the year 1798, he saw one that had been seized by the hand, when perched 

 at the top of a rock just behind the town of Caernarvon. And in the year 

 1793, one of tliera was observed sitting on the vane of St Martin's steeple, 

 Ludgate Hill, London ; and was shot there in the presence of a great uiiui. 

 ber of people. 



It is no uncommon thing to see twenty of these birds together on the rocks 

 of the sea-coast, m ith extended wings, drying themselves in the wind. In 

 this position they remain sometimes neai-ly an hour, without once closing 

 the wiii^s ; and as soon as these are sufficiently dry to enable the feathers to 

 imbibe the oil, they press this substance from the receptacle on their rumps, 

 and dress the feathers with it. It is only in one particular state that the 

 oily matter can be spread on them ; when they are somewhat damp j and 

 the instinct of the birds teaches them the proper moment. 



The skins of the corvorants are very tough ; and are used by the Green, 

 landers, when sewed together, and put into proper form for garments. 

 And the skin of the jaws like that of others of this tribe, serves these peo- 

 pie for bladders to buoy up their smaller kinds of fishing darts. 



Shag, or Lesser Corvorant. — The common shag, which is another of the 

 corvorant genus, is in length two feet six inches ; and the extent of its 

 wings eight feet. The general colour of its plumage is black j the belly is 

 dusky ; and the head and neck glossed with green. 



The crested shag is somewhat less than the preceding, a)id is less com 

 mon. There are two kinds which are natives of Kamtschatka ; these are 

 distinguished as the violet and the red-faced shags, being so ornamented 

 with those colours. Besides there are several otliers found in New Zea- 

 land, and also in Africa ; in the latter of which there are two species not 

 larger than a teal. The whole of these like the corvorants build in trees. 



The Frigates are birds of the corvorant genus, which inhabit the inter- 

 tropical seas of both worlds. They chiefly pursue the flying fish, darting 

 upon them with amazing rapidity. They also attack the booby bird, which 

 they force to disgorge or drop its booty. 



The Booby bird is to be met with in every sea, but particularly in South 

 America and neighbouring isles. It is two feet and a half long ; bill gray, 

 and brownish at the base ; the irides pale ash-colour ; the skin is bald and 

 yellowish ; the body whitish beneath ; the tail brownish at the tip, and 

 wedged ; the legs are yellowish : the primary quill feathers are tipt with 

 black ; the face is red. From the length of its wings and shortness of its 

 legs, it experiences a difficulty in rising to flight, and hence is often taken 

 with the hand. This circumstance has gained it its name, and created a 

 doubt whether it possessed the common instinct of self-preservation. 



The Red. Bucked Pelican. — The colour is reddish ; the head crested; and 

 the neck is reddish white ; the tail is of a dusky ash-colour ; the gullet is 

 pouched. It is an inhabitant of Africa, and is five feet long. The bill, and 



