yS Cole, OhservaUons on the Cormorants. [isf'oct. 



shallow fishers, although at times seen some distance from the 

 shore. But this is not so much a matter of necessity in the search 

 for food as for protection. All those acquainted with this bay 

 know of its vast mud-flats, and at what rate the rising tide 

 flows over them. At Tooradin a flood tide will rise 12 feet, and 

 at low tide some miles of mud-flats are left free from water. 

 Along the shore are several small creeks that contain a lot of 

 Swan-grass, amongst which shrimps are to be caught in scores, 

 while with the flowing tide shoals of fish of all varieties come to 

 feed amongst the grass. And now the Cormorants are in their 

 glory, the fish, being borne along with the incoming tide, falling 

 an easy prey to these birds, who, quietly resting upon the water, 

 find no trouble in satisfying their greed for fish. These birds are 

 remarkably voracious, and have a very quick digestion. Their 

 appetite is for ever craving and never satisfied. No doubt the 

 reason for this is to a great extent caused by the vast number of 

 thread-like worms that their stomachs and intestines contain. 

 The worst birds that I know of for these worms are the 

 Penguins. Upon dissecting many of these Cormorants I find 

 that at low tide their stomachs contain nothing but shrimps, and 

 at high tide fish. While fishing at Tooradin at Easter time I 

 saw a Cormorant {PJialacrocorax gouldi) dive and bring up a 

 bream fully half a pound in weight, and it was surprising to see 

 the way this bird struggled to get it down. The bird still went 

 on fishing. Anyone, upon examining these birds, will find that 

 the nail of the second long toe upon each foot is toothed or 

 notched like a saw, no doubt being used to assist in holding 

 their fishy prey. This serration, as far as my knowledge goes, 

 does not exist upon their mandibles or hook. But the Darter 

 {PloHis noiics-hollandue, Gould), belonging to the sub-family, has 

 this serration upon the edges of the upper and lower mandible. 

 This bird, commonly called the Snake-Bird from the snake-like 

 appearance and motion in using its long neck, is, in my opinion, 

 the most powerful diver and swimmer of all the Cormorants. 

 Upon approaching this bird while on the water, it will submerge 

 itself, only leaving its head above, and, swimming with great 

 rapidity, will easily outwit those not accustomed to its habits, 

 they naturally thinking that the bird has dived under and will 

 make its reappearance at no great distance from where first seen. 

 Many others of our sea-birds make greater or as much havoc 

 amongst the finny tribe, the Silver Gull {Larus novcE-hollandics) 

 being a great nuisance to the fishermen, diving down and taking 

 the fish out of their nets. The Gannet [Sula serrator, Gray) is 

 also an expert at the game. 



In conclusion, I will leave readers to form their own opinions 

 as to whether these birds justly deserved the harsh treatment 

 meted out to them last nesting season, when scores were shot 

 and their young left to die of starvation. 



