3o6 WILD-FOWL AND SEA-FOWL OF GREAT BRITAIN 



great that a flash is all you can call it. After a bit 

 one head pops up, then another ; only for a second 

 or two for breath, and then at it they go again. 

 Then a large bird rises like a seal from the water, 

 and plunges again. Quick as he is, we know that 

 is a Cormorant, or Scart. If I may be allowed to 

 compare marine matters with those of the land, the 

 way that the divers rush about round the shoals is 

 very like that of sheep-dogs gathering a large flock 

 of sheep into a small compass. 



Loons, Cormorants, Guillemots, Razor-bills, and 

 others have all been kept in ponds constructed for 

 the purpose of observing their movements under 

 water, when in pursuit of their finned prey. As I 

 have observed before, birds adapt themselves to 

 circumstances, and the Cormorant would soon find 

 out that he would cripple his wings if he used them 

 in those comparatively shallow pond structures. So 

 he throws his large webbed paddles behind him, and 

 shoots along seal fashion. The fish must be fresh 

 — that is a vital necessity ; but dead haddocks, 

 whitings, herrings, and others, do not require much 

 exertion to procure when they are thrown in to 

 them. 



Diving birds, in a captive state, soon get like 

 trout, pike, and ' perch under similar conditions, 

 artful. They know exactly what they have to do 

 to get their food, and they work accordingly for it. 



The Cormorants, like otters, can be, and are, 

 trained to catch fish for their owners. Some train 

 both, others train the Cormorants alone for this 



