40 BIRDS 



cormorants are found in all parts of the world, ten of the 

 thirty species being found in North America. The double- 

 crested cormorant is the most common in the United States. 

 While usually maritime, some frequent bodies of fresh 

 water. They are gregarious, often breeding in colonies. 

 Flight is strong and duck-like, near the surface of the water, 

 except when migrating. They dive for fish from the water, 

 or dive from perch like the kingfisher, but not from the air. 

 Three species of pelican are found in North America, 

 only one of which is found in the interior. Pelicans are 

 gregarious, nestling in colonies. Their flight is strong but 

 leisurely, several wing strokes being followed by a short 

 sail; all birds of a flock flap wings and sail in unison. The 

 peculiar feature is the large pouch used as a scoop-net in 

 catching fish. Some species plunge for food, while others 

 use the pouch while swimming. 



KITTIWAKE 



This medium-sized gull is supposed to take its name 

 from the note, which is the shrill " Kit-ti-wake." Almost 

 exclusively a seagull, we rarely meet with this species on 

 our large inland lakes. They are boreal, and Mv. Peary, 

 our Arctic explorer, found them breeding abundantlj^ on 

 the coasts of Greenland. They are common to the Atlantic 

 waters of both Europe and America. In winter and early 

 spring the ciy of the kittiwake echoes along the rocky shore 

 of the New England coast. 



They do not nest upon the ground, like most other gulls, 

 but resort to the rocky and almost inaccessible cliffs over- 



