422 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. 



approached them, they opened their bills, squeaked, hissed, and puffed in 

 a most outrageous manner ; and the noise produced by the multitudes on 

 the island was not merely disagreeable, but really shocking. Some of the 

 nests contained eggs, and the young were of all sizes, from the newly 

 hatched up to those able to fly ; none, however, even of the largest, at- 

 tempted to gain the water, but all preferred hiding themselves in the fis- 

 sures of the rocks, or behind the nests. It was curious to see them crawl 

 flat on the rock, assisting themselves with their bill, feet and wings, em- 

 ploying the first in the manner of Parrots, and the wings like the oars of 

 a boat or the flappers of turtles. When approached, they curved and 

 twisted their necks in the most curious manner, reminding one of the 

 writhings of a snake, and when seized they muted so profusely as to excite 

 disgust. A dozen or more of different sizes, however, were thrust into a 

 bag, and carried on board the vessel. The materials and dimensions of 

 the nests were noted on the spot, and a hatful of eggs was brought to me. 

 The Double-crested Cormorant forms its nest of sea- weeds, some sticks, 

 moss, and clods of earth, with grass adhering to them, which it piles up 

 into a solid mass, often as high as three feet from the rock, with a diame- 

 ter of fifteen or eighteen inches at the top, and of two and a half feet at 

 the base. The whole has an appearance of sohdity seldom seen in the 

 nests of water-birds. The nests are placed as near each other as the 

 nature of the ground will permit, and a great number which appeared to 

 have stood out against the winter storms, had been enlarged and repaired 

 that season. Many, however, lay scattered over the rocks, having been 

 demolished by heavy gales or the breaking of the surf during tempests. 

 The whole surface of the rock resembled a mass of putridity : feathers, 

 broken and rotten eggs, and dead young, lay scattered over it ; and I 

 leave you to guess how such a place must smell in a calm warm day. The 

 eggs are three or four, average two and a half inches in length by one 

 inch and four and a half eighths in breadth, and have an elongated form. 

 They are covered vnth a calcareous coating, which is more or less soiled 

 with filth, but when carefully scraped, shews a fine light greenish-blue tint. 

 The young when just hatched, are of a bluish-black colour tinged 

 with purple, and look extremely odd. They remain blind for several 

 days, and for about a fortnight are fed by the parents with the greatest 

 care, the food being regurgitated into their open throats. They appear 

 to grow rapidly, for in the course of eight or ten days we found some the 

 size of a pullet, which, when marked, were scarcely half that size. They 



