CORMORANTS AND GANNET 307 



purpose. The birds, not the otters, are captured 

 in a wild state by a very simple process, and then 

 are trained as Hawks or Falcons are trained for 

 sport — the very cream of sport this is, for the fowl 

 and fish themselves are as nothing in it. 



Both Cormorants and otters can bite ; the bite 

 of the first may be forgotten and forgiven, for it is 

 only the nip of a bird, but ask any one that has 

 been fixed by the otter how he liked it, and you 

 will hear some strong language. There is no more 

 trouble with trained Cormorants than with rabbit 

 beagles — indeed the birds are more tractable. Some- 

 times, for a treat, the owners of the birds take their 

 throat-straps off, and let them fish on their own 

 account. When this takes place, their keepers or 

 attendants have to carry them home, for, like "old 

 Biddlecome's " proverbial seventeen-year-old gander 

 that he fatted up for Christmas, they have managed 

 to get a little more inside of them than they can 

 walk with nicely. 



Much nonsense has been written about the Cor- 

 morant, as well as of other birds. In fact, the Owl, 

 the Cormorant, and the Bittern have all had the 

 bad luck to be slandered. Yet the trio are first- 

 rate and most amusing feathered companions ; the 

 first is, as he looks, wise in his own way ; the second 

 intelligent and useful : and as to the Bittern, he is 

 a feathered contortionist. 



If one lived for two hundred years one would 

 never read the whole riddle of Nature's children. 



About the Solan Goose, or Common Gannet, 



