236 PELICANID.E. 



rescue him from their fury they had greatly injured him in 

 one of his shoulders, so much so that he afterwards died of 

 the wound." 



The cry of the cormorant is harsh and croaking, and is 

 but seldom uttered. These birds generally breed in flocks, 

 on inaccessible ledges of rock or unfrequented islands, and 

 the nest is formed of a few sticks, loosely lined with coarse 

 grass and marine plants. The eggs are very small for the size 

 of the bird, elongated, and thickly encrusted with a white calca- 

 reous substance, which can be removed by scraping, when the 

 under pale green colour is exposed. When a frequented 

 breeding locality is approached, the odour emanating from it 

 is far from agreeable ; so that we think the Mosaic law re- 

 specting this bird was in little fear of being transgressed, as 

 even the Greenlanders are unwilling to touch it. 



The cormorant is most difficult to approach ; and, differ- 

 ing from the Anatidse, does not dive, but rises silently from 

 the water and flies off. Laying the fresh water under contri- 

 butions, it frequently ascends rivers in search of fish, perch- 

 ing on the trees, and becoming a destructive visitor to fish 

 preserves. 



One end of the small island opposite Clontarf is constantly 

 frequented by a number of these birds, which sometimes ex- 

 hibit a curious appearance, when many stand ranged in a 

 line, with wings expanded as if to dry their feathers : 



" The cormorant stands upon its shoals, 

 His black and dripping wings 

 Half open to the wind." 



During the high tide they occupy some stakes in the loca- 

 lity, and patiently wait the decrease of the waters to search 

 the first portion of the strand exposed. 



Figuratively used in the Old Testament as an emblem of 

 desolation, Zephaniah, denouncing Nineveh, prophesied it to 

 be in time the resort of the bittern and cormorant, from 

 which time it has retained its ill repute to the present. The 

 Druids, too, believed it to have been ill-omened in its ap- 

 pearance : 



" Slowly the cormorant aims his heavy flight, 

 Portending ruin to each baleful rite." 



In the beautiful imagery of Milton, he depicts the arch- 

 fiend 



" On the tree of life, 



The middle tree, the highest there that grew, 

 Sat like a cormorant." 



