LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS 53 



bills are strong and decidedly hooked; this assists them in 

 holding their prey. Unlike the gannets, cormorants do not 

 dive from the air, but from the water or a low perch. 



On the barren islands of Devil's Lake, North Dakota, 

 the double-crested cormorant still nests in company with 

 the ring-billed and herring gulls, Canada goose and white 

 pelican. These islands are a paradise for the bird student. 

 On approaching these densely populated areas the wary 

 cormorants are the first to leave their nests. No sooner do 

 they vacate their posts than the thieving gulls descend upon 

 their nests and destroy their eggs. 



Cormorants incubate in relays and never vacate their 

 nests except at the approach of man. In Canada, nests 

 are frequently constructed in rocky places overlooking the 

 water. The nests are of sticks, and contain from tliree to 

 five chalky eggs with a covering showing faint blue. 



BRANDT'S CORMORANT 



Brandt's Cormorant, the bird of our illustration, is 

 found on the Pacific Coast from the State of Washington 

 southward to Cape St. Lucas, at the southern extremity 

 of Lower California. In its habits it is gregarious and 

 collects in great numbers wherever its natural food of fish 

 is plentiful. These flocks present a very odd appearance, 

 and their long necks appear as numerous black sticks on 

 the watery background. 



The nests are nearly circular when placed on top of 

 the rocks, and are usually constructed of eel grass. They 

 are generally placed in the most inaccessible places and 



