THE CORMORANT. 221 



together in their caves and crevices, perishing with 

 hunger, and their numbers daily thinning by death. 

 If, indeed, they could venture out, and bear the buf- 

 feting of the storm, they would still fail in procuring 

 food; for, as in fishing, these birds always carry their 

 heads under water, in order that, with their keen, 

 clear, and beautiful eye, they may discover their prey 

 at a greater distance, it is obvious that in such com- 

 motions of the air and water, they would need even 

 a quicker glance than they possess. The use they 

 make of their bills in feeding, shows remarkable in- 

 genuity, as well as agility: if the fish happens to be 

 a flat one, a flounder for instance, they will turn it, 

 so as to place it in the most commodious position 

 for slipping down the throat; if, on the contrary, it 

 happens to be an eel, which has been seized in an 

 unfavourable position for gorging, they will throw it 

 up, as a cook does a pancake, and catch it in the fall. 

 Wild and desolate as are the habitations of these 

 birds, and little as they seem to have in common 

 with man, yet, judging from one which was caught 

 young, and reared, they are not only docile, but 

 grateful and affectionate. This bird *, though it had 

 fasted twenty- four hours, during its journey by 

 coach to the place where it was sent as a present, 

 refused every sort of food. It was, therefore cram- 

 med with raw flesh, as no fish could be procured. 

 It submitted patiently to this forced meat, and was 

 left by the gentleman, who retired to his library after 

 seeing it fed, but who was not a little surprised, 

 in a few minutes, to see the bird walking boldly 

 into the room, and, when before the fire, beginning 



* See Montagu's Ornithol. Diet. 



