1 8 THE BIRDS OF RHODE ISLAND. 



the rock to a considerable distance in many places, having been 

 carried there by the rain and sea water as they percolate through 

 the joints. 



Few places present a more desolate or foreboding appearance 

 than this lonely rock after a cold spell of weather in the winter. 

 At such times it is a mass of snow and granular salt water 

 ice which freezes to a considerable thickness on all sides, where 

 wave after wave throws its spray high in the air only to be blown 

 on the rock to freeze and add one more layer to the rock's cold 

 blanket. But it is at just such times as these that Cormorant 

 Rock is a most fascinating place to the ornithologist, for then the 

 shoal waters of Narragansett Bay become excessively cold, and 

 parts that do not actually freeze over are full of drifting ice. 

 Driven from the sheltered waters, the sea fowl make their way 

 oceanward and seek some feeding ground where they can find a 

 lee and a roosting place, for birds are fond of having some place 

 of rendezvous that can be seen from a distance. 



The most noticeable birds that are to be found on Cormorant 

 Rock are those from which the rock is named. These large 

 black birds may be seen from a distance, as one approaches, 

 sitting majestically upon the highest parts, in groups of varying 

 size, but never scattered over the entire rock. As one draws near, 

 they take wing and fly off, often alighting in the water about a 

 mile away. It is apparent that this rock has been the resort of 

 these birds for a great many years. In an article by Mr. George 

 H. Mackay, entitled " Habits of the Double-crested Cormorant 

 (Phalacrocorax dilophus) in Rhode Island " and published in " The 

 Auk," Vol. XI, No. I, Jan., 1894, he says, — "These low lying 

 black rocks have been in the past, and are still, the resort and 

 roosting place of all the Cormorants living in and around these 

 waters, and as they undoubtedly received their name many years 

 ago from such occupancy it may be interesting to know that on a 

 map dated July 20, 1776, which is in an atlas called the 'Ameri- 

 can Neptune,' published in London in 1776, and surveyed by 

 Des Barres, that these identical rocks are correctly shown and 

 located under the name of the ' Cormorant Rock.' It would not, 

 therefore seem unreasonable to infer that they were so named 

 on account of being frequented by these birds at that early 



