26 ANIMAL LIFE UNDER WATER 



As an example of the ways of divers, let us 

 consider the cormorant, though, as a matter of 

 fact, this bird does not dive at all! When it 

 leaves a rock it flies on to the water, alighting 

 on the surface with a splash ; it then disappears 

 below the surface and swims after its prey. By 

 means of its webbed feet alone it propels itself 

 through the water, in this respect differing from 

 the penguins, who use their modified wings for 

 this purpose. 



Thirty-six species of cormorants are known, 

 but only two of them frequent the British Isles 

 — the common black cormorant (Phalacrocorax 

 carbo) and the green cormorant (Phdlacrocoraoo 

 graculus). 



Both species are found together round our 

 shores, but the green cormorant, or shag, is not 

 often seen east of the Isle of Wight, and is 

 uncommon round the coast as far up as Caith- 

 ness. Both are found in about equal numbers 

 in the Orkneys, Hebrides and on the west coast 

 of Scotland, but the shag outnumbers the black 

 cormorant in the west of Ireland and on the 

 .Cornish cliffs. 



The cormorant is the larger bird of the 

 two; the black plumage has a greenish-purple, 



