364 
3. 
CHINESE. 
C. 
DescrIprTion. 
PAE ee Gara GN: 
Louwa, Ogslly. Chin. pl. in p. 92.—lad. pl. p. 699. 
Loufoo, Da Hald. Chin. vi. it, 142. pl.in p. 10z.—Ofbeck. Voy. it. po 35% 
Leu-tze, Emb. to China, ui. p. 358, 412. pl. 72. ¢ 
AUCH has been faid heretofore concerning the bird ufed by the 
Chinefe for fifhing: we were led to think, from what Linnaeus 
had been informed, that at leaft one of the fexes was white, but we- 
owe to Sir George Staunton, the intire development of the true fpe- 
cies, not only by his obfervation on the mode whilft in Chine, but 
by having brought home various fpecimens for examination, from 
whence it appears that the bird is ftrictly neither a Corvorant nor 
‘Shag, though approaching thereto, but a diftinét fpecies: the bill is 
yellow: irides blue: the general colour of the plumage brownifh 
black: chin white: the body whitifh beneath, fpotted with brown: 
tail rounded, confifting of twelve feathers. 
In the journey to Hax-choo-foo, on the river Luen, fir George ob- 
ferved, on a large lake clofe to this part of the canal, and to the 
eaftward of it, thoufands of fmall boats and rafts, built entirely for 
this fpecies of fifhery; on each boat or raft were ten or twelve birds,. 
which at a fignal from the owner plunge into the water, and it is afto- 
nifhing to fee the enormous fize of fith with which they return grafped 
in their bills. They appeared to be fo well trained, that it did not 
require either ring or cord about their throats, to prevent them from. 
{wallowing any portion of their prey, except what the mafter was 
pleafed to return to them for encouragement and food. The boat 
ufed by thefe fifhermen is of a remarkably light make, and 1s often 
carried to the lake, together with the fifhing birds, by the men who 
are there to be fupported by it*. 
© See vignette in Zmb, so Céing, il. p. 389. at the bottom. 
