300 SPORT AND TRAVEL PAPERS 



distance of the shore, and the birds are worked between the 

 two. The scene, however, is not nearly so picturesque as that 

 of Gifu. The cormorants are caught when young, during their 

 first migration, with wooden decoys and birdlime ; go through 

 a long course of training, and often remain on the active list for 

 twelve or fourteen years. 



Cormorant fishing was first mentioned, according to Mr. B. H. 

 Chamberlain (" Things Japanese "), in a poem which was itself 

 quoted in a work compiled A.D. 712 ; and there is a very old 

 picture in the museum at Gifu of no less than fifty boats fishing 

 on the Nagara-gawa at the same time. 



