VOL. viii] CORMORANTS IN NORFOLK. 13& 



their parents on a spit of sand by the lake-side. From 

 my perch I had a fine view over the lake ; so had tlic one 

 remaining bird, which every now and again complained 

 loudly at the solitude, or else vigorously exercised its 

 wings ; but its chief amusement consisted in pulling 

 the nest to pieces and remaking it, or else in dropping 

 twigs overboard and looking after them as they fell. 



FiK. i). KXIT No. :!. 

 {Photographed by Miss E. L. Tumor.) 



There was a tremendous fascination about watching 

 these big birds in their first efforts at flight. One almost 

 saw the rise and growth of the instinctive impulse to fly. 

 I grew quite excited about it myself, because at such 

 close quarters one not only observed the continuous 

 efforts resulting in a daily increase of strength, but 

 also the fearful joy of it ! The spasmodic gasping, 

 and wild startled eye, the dread of that first plunge 

 into the new hfe and then — it was an extra puff of wind 

 that finally launched No. 3 — the young Cormorant 

 has sky and sea as well as the earth for his wanderings. 



