234 CASSELLS BOOK OF BIRDS. 



THE COMMON CORMORANT. 



The Common Cormorant (P/ia/acrocorax carbo) is from thirty-five to thirty-seven inches long, 

 and from sixty to sixty-four broad. The length of wing is fourteen to fifteen inches, and of tail six and 

 a half to seven inches. The plumage on the top of head, neck, breast, belly, and rump is of a glossy 

 blackish green, with a slight metallic lustre. The fore part of the back and upper surface of the wings 

 brown with a bronze shade. Owing to the dark margins of the feathers, these parts have the appearance 

 of being imbricated : quills and tail-feathers black ; a white patch commencing behind the eye 

 surrounds the throat. The eye is sea-green ; beak black, with yellowish base ; the bare skin on neck 

 and face is yellow; and foot black. During the breeding season the Cormorants, more especially the 

 males, have delicate white feathers on the head ; these, however, soon disappear. The young are 

 more or less grey ; the upper parts of the body being dark, with the imbricated appearance above 

 alluded to ; the under side is yellowish or light grey. This species is commonly found on all the 

 rocky parts of the British coast. The nests are placed on high cliffs, many birds congregating together 

 and living harmoniously. The nest is large, and composed of sticks and a mass of coarse grass and 

 seaweed, sometimes a foot high. The rough oblong eggs are from four to six in number, of a chalky 

 white and pale blue colour. In the course of a few days after hatching, the young are able to take to 

 the water. " These birds," says Yarrell, " are frequently seen sitting on posts, rails, or leafless trees by 

 the water-side, when, if a fish should move on the surface within their sight, it is pounced upon and 

 caught to a certainty. An eel is a favourite morsel with him, and a Cormorant has been seen to pick 

 up an eel from the mud, return to the rail he was previously sitting upon, strike the eel three or four 

 hard blows against the rail, toss it up into the air, and, catching it by the head in its fall, swallow it in 

 an instant." 



" In China the bridges across the Min, at Fuhchau, may often be seen crowded with men 

 viewing the feats of the tame fishing Cormorants. These birds look at a distance about the size of a 

 Coose, and are of a dark dirty colour. The fisherman who has charge of them stands upon a raft, 

 about two feet and a half wide and fifteen or twenty feet long, made out of five large bamboos of 

 similar size and shape, firmly fastened together. It is very light, and is propelled by a paddle. A 

 basket is placed on it to contain the fish when caught. Each raft has three or four Cormorants 

 connected with it. When not fishing they crouch down stupidly on the raft. 



" The fisherman, when he wishes to make a Cormorant fish, pushes or throws it off the raft into 

 the water. If it is not disposed at once to dive and seek for fish, he beats the water with his paddle, 

 or sometimes strikes the bird, so that it is glad to dive and get out of his reach. AVhen it has caught 

 a fish it rises to the surface, holding it in its mouth, and apparently striving to swallow it. A string 

 tied loosely around its neck or a metallic ring effectually prevents swallowing, except perhaps in the 

 case of very small fish. It usually swims directly for the raft. The fisherman on seeing the prize paddles 

 towards it with all speed, lest it should escape from the bird. Sometimes the fish is a large one, and 

 there is evidently a struggle between it and the Cormorant. The fisherman, when near enough, 

 dexterously passes a net-like bag, fastened to the end of a pole, over the two, and draws them both on 

 the raft. He then forces the fish from the grasp of the bird, and, as if to reward the latter for its 

 cleverness and success, gives it a mouthful of food, which it is enabled to swallow on his raising the ring 

 from the lower part of its neck. The bird, if apparently tired out, is allowed to rest awhile on the 

 raft, and then it is pushed off again into the water and made to dive and hunt for fish as before. 

 Sometimes the Cormorant, from imperfect training, swims away from the raft with the fish it has 

 caught. In such a case the fisherman pursues and speedily overtakes the truant. Sometimes, it is 

 reported, two or three Cormorants assist jn securing a large and powerful fish, and occasionally two 



