BIRDS FOUND NEAR SHORE OR IN BAYS 49 



be distinguished by an expert. Both nest in colonies 

 on the South Farallone, and Mr. Corydoii Ciiamberlin, 

 in the " Nidologist," 1895, reports a rookery at Clear 

 Lake, California. Early in May it constructs a shallow 

 nest, about a foot in diameter, lined with Farallone weed 

 and kelp. Occasionally one attempts to carry a long, 

 bulky-looking string of the latter, which trails behind 

 him as he flies, making him look like a winged poUiwog. 

 They mould these nests to a roundness by sitting on 

 them, turning awkwardly about and working the kelp 

 into place with feet and bill, but with none of the flut- 

 tering movements of wings and tail apparent in the nest- 

 building of land birds. After the nest is begun, one or 

 the other of the parent birds is constantly present, and 

 even then it is a hard struggle to keep the Western gulls 

 from stealing the nesting material as fast as it is brought. 

 The newly hatched Cormorants lack the down of most 

 young sea-birds and are not handsome babies, their fat 

 bodies and grotesque long necks being covered with a 

 leathery-looking black skin. My observations convince 

 me that they are fed by regurgitation for the first twenty- 

 four hours or longer • this is, if possible, a more ludicrous 

 process of "pumping" than in the case of young herons.^ 

 After this regurgitation period comes a time when live 

 fish is brought to the nest and torn or chewed by the 

 adults before being given to the nestlings. As soon as 

 the latter are able to manage live fish, small carp are 

 popped into their throats head first, and swallowed with 

 curious gulpihgs. Each meal is followed by a rest time, 



I See Brandt Cormorant. 

 4 



