18 THE BIRDS OF RHODE ISLAND. 
the rock to a considerable distance in many places, having been 
carried there by the rain and sea water as they percolate through 
the joints. 
Few places present a more desolate or foreboding appearance 
than this lonely rock after a cold spell of weather in the winter. 
At such times it is a mass of snow and granular salt water 
ice which freezes to a considerable thickness on all sides, where 
wave after wave throws its spray high in the air only to be blown 
on the rock to freeze and add one more layer to the rock’s cold 
blanket. But it is at just such times as these that Cormorant 
Rock is a most fascinating place to the ornithologist, for then the 
shoal waters of Narragansett Bay become excessively cold, and 
parts that do not actually freeze over are full of drifting ice. 
Driven from the sheltered waters, the sea fowl make their way 
oceanward and seek some feeding ground where they can find a 
lee and a roosting place, for birds are fond of having some place 
of rendezvous that can be seen from a distance. 
The most noticeable birds that are to be found on Cormorant 
Rock are those from which the rock is named. These large 
black birds may be seen from a distance, as one approaches, 
sitting majestically upon the highest parts, in groups of varying 
size, but never scattered over the entire rock. As one draws near, 
they take wing and fly off, often alighting in the water about a 
mile away. It is apparent that this rock has been the resort of 
these birds for a great many years. In an article by Mr. George 
H. Mackay, entitled ‘‘ Habits of the Double-crested Cormorant 
(Phalacrocorax dilophus) in Rhode Island ” and published in “ The 
Auk,” Vol. XI, No. 1, Jan., 1894, he says, — ‘* These low lying 
black rocks have been in the past, and are still, the resort and 
roosting place of all the Cormorants living in and around these 
waters, and as they undoubtedly received their name many years 
ago from such occupancy it may be interesting to know that on a 
map dated July 20, 1776, which is in an atlas called the ‘ Ameri- 
can Neptune,’ published in London in 1776, and surveyed by 
Des Barres, that these identical rocks are correctly shown and 
located under the name of the ‘Cormorant Rock.’ It would not, 
therefore seem unreasonable to infer that they were so named 
on account of being frequented by these birds at that early 
