364 NATATORES. 



CORMORANTS (Carlo). 



The general characters of this genus as British are the 

 bill long, straight, compressed, smooth at the margins, much 

 hooked at the tip of the upper mandible, serrated with a 

 naked membrane at the base which reaches the throat. 

 The nostrils basal, linear, and hidden. The face and throat 

 naked. The feet short, strong, placed far backwards, all the 

 four toes united by a web. The position in walking much 

 more erect than that of the gannet, and the walk more diffi- 

 cult. The wings of moderate length, and the tail composed 

 of stiff, elastic feathers, rather produced, and wedge-shaped 

 or rounded. 



These birds fish from the wing, though not from so great 

 heights as the gannet ; they also fish swimming, and are 

 expert divers ; they do not range very far from the shore ; 

 sometimes frequent the fresh waters ; and frequently perch, 

 or even build their nests, on trees. They subsist by fishing, 

 and a principal part of their food is eels, after which they 

 dive. They are very voracious feeders ; and the smell of the 

 living birds, and also the flavour of the flesh of the old ones, 

 is exceedingly rank and offensive. The young are less so, 

 and may be rendered palatable, if drawn, skinned, wrapped 

 in a cloth, and buried for some time in. the earth. 



THE COMMON CORMORANT (Carlo cormorciiius). 



A figure of this species, one-twelfth of the lineal dimen- 

 sions, is given on the plate opposite. It is a large bird, 

 larger (on account of the tail being more produced) than the 

 common grey goose, but a foot less in the extent of the 

 wings, and only about two-thirds of the weight. It is an 

 energetic and powerful bird, found in most latitudes, and not 

 quitting the northern seas till frozen out. Its sight is keen ; 



