THE OAR-FOOTED SEA-FLIERS. 23 1 



is compressed at the sides, rounded above, furrowed at the sides of the upper mandible, bent 

 downwards and strongly hooked at its tip. The legs are strong, and wings short, with the third 

 quill longer than the rest. The tail consists of twelve feathers, and is shorter than that of the Darters. 

 The Cormorants are met with from the middle of Norway to the south of Europe, and during the 

 winter resort in countless multitudes to Africa. They are also very abundant in Central Asia and 

 North America, whence they wander as far as the West Indies. The habitat of these birds is either 

 the sea or fresh water, according to circumstances. They frequently resort to large rivers or lakes 

 thickly skirted with trees, and sometimes make their appearance in inhabited districts, from which it is 

 difficult to drive them away. An instance is even recorded in which they took up their quarters in 

 the centre of a town, selecting the church tower for their citadel. They visit the sea in great numbers, 

 and there seem to prefer certain localities, generally selecting a situation where the coast is but little 

 accessible or where there are long reefs and ridges of rock. They are very abundant on the coast of 

 Scandinavia, as also in Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the Hebrides, Orkneys, and other similar localities 

 where they are little disturbed by mankind. During the winter season they are met with in equal 

 abundance in more southern districts. In Greece they may be seen in great numbers from one year's 

 end to another, both upon the large lakes and in the sea. In Egypt, they cover the lakes near the 

 shore, as far as the eye can reach, whence they every morning fly out to sea in countless multitudes, 

 returning in the evening. In Southern China and in India they are equally numerous. Indeed, it 

 may be said that they are met with in every locality where water and fishes are to be had. In their 

 habits and mode of life the Cormorants present many peculiarities. They are very sociable, and 

 generally keep together in flights that are more or less numerous. It is a rare occurrence to see one 

 of them alone. During the morning they are always indefatigably employed in fishing ; about noon 

 they betake themselves to repose, and digest their food ; towards evening they are again busy fishing, 

 and afterwards they resort to the places where they sleep. These are generally lofty trees, growing 

 at some little distance inland upon islands in rivers or lakes, the same upon which they subsequently 

 build their nests ; they are generally such as afford them an extensive prospect in every direction, and 

 allow them to fly away and return with facility. The islands thus frequented are easily recognisable 

 at a distance by the thick covering of nascent guano by which the ground is everywhere hidden; 

 indeed, they would soon literally become beds of that material had it a Peruvian sun to dry, or 

 as Scheffel says, " purify " it. Similar deposits are likewise to be seen on islands in the sea, which 

 seldom fail to arrest the attention of the passing mariner. Their history, however, is quite 

 intelligible, and their appearance remarkable when they are densely covered with Cormorants, sitting 

 in close ranks like regiments of soldiers, tier above tier, all turned in the same direction with 

 their faces towards the sea ; thus presenting a strangely picturesque scene, for although they are 

 stationary, they are by no means motionless ; each of them is constantly moving its head, spreading 

 its tail, or stretching out its wings, so as to give an appearance of animation to the whole 

 assemblage. For a single individual among them to remove from the place where it stands without 

 flying away altogether is an impossibility, so densely are they crowded together. It is asserted 

 by some that these birds can only walk while propping themselves up with their tails ; this, 

 however, is not correct ; their walk, it is true, is but a clumsy waddle, still it enables them to get 

 over the ground with tolerable quickness. Upon the branches of trees the Cormorants are much 

 more at home than on level ground; nevertheless, like the Snake-necks it is only when swimming 

 or diving in the water that they show their real capabilities. Should a boat approach the rock upon 

 which hundreds of them have taken their station, they first begin to show symptoms of uneasiness 

 by stretching out their necks and moving their heads ; they then begin a sort of restless shuffling 

 backwards and forwards, and ultimately they take flight ; a few of the assembled multitude rise into 



