Class 11. COMMON CORVORANT. 283 



six or seven white eggs of an oblong form. In 

 winter they disperse along the shores, and visit 

 fresh waters, where they make great havoke 

 among the fish. They are remarkably vora- 

 cious, having a most sudden digestion, promoted 

 by the infinite quantity of small worms which 

 fill their intestines. The corvorant, even when 

 alive, has the rankest and most disagreeable 

 smell of any bird. Its form is disgusting, its 

 voice hoarse and croaking, and its qualities base : 

 no wonder then that Milton should make Satan 

 personate this bird, to survey undelighted the - 

 beauties of Paradise, and sit devising death on 

 the tree of life.* 



These birds have been trained to fish like fal- 

 cons to fowl. JVhitelock tells us, that he had a 

 cast of them manned like hawks, and which 

 would come to hand. He took much pleasure 

 in them, and relates, that the best he had was 

 one presented him by Mr. Wood, Master of 

 the Cormorants to Charles I. It is well known ' . I 

 that the Chinese make great use of a congene- 

 rous sort, in fishing, and that not for amuse- 

 ment, but profit.^ 



* Paradise Lost, Book iv. 1. I94, &c. 



f Duhaldei. 3l6. The Chinese Con'orant. Lath. Supp. li. 

 364. Sir G. Staunton s Emlassy to China, ii. p. 388—412. 

 tal, 72. Ed. 



