166 BRITISH BIRDS, WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 
and dark brown feet. After their next autumn moult, when the birds are 
somewhat over a year old, more of the metallic sheen, which will mark their 
maturity, appears on the upper surface, and the white on the under side is less. 
After one or perhaps two more moults, the latter finally gives place to black, glossed 
with splendid metallic green. In its winter garb, the mature Cormorant,—male 
or female, for the plumage of both is the same,—is a magnificent bird. ‘The upper 
surface is deep black, glossed with bronze, each feather margined with a darker 
metallic border, the back generally presenting rich metallic green, or purple, re- 
flections, varying with the incidence of the light, and the position of the eye. The 
wings and the tail, in which there are fourteen feathers, are also black, washed 
with metallic green; throat, and sides of the head, white; rest of the head, the 
neck, breast, and belly, deep glossy purplish black, washed with metallic green ; 
bill more or less dark horn colour; legs and feet black; bare skin of face and 
throat, and base of bill greenish yellow; eyes rich sparkling bronzy-green. 
In the early spring, the birds begin to add, without a moult, to their already 
splendid winter garb, the nuptial adornments of a large white patch on each thigh, 
and a number of beautiful, elongated, slender white feathers on the top of the 
head, and along both sides of the neck. These are all, however, cast again as soon 
as their home is well established, or even, perhaps, before the nesting time. 
The Cormorant, though a shy and wary bird, being, when taken young, 
easily tamed, does well in captivity, and will reward kindly treatment with much 
affection. It is also a very intelligent bird, and has been for centuries employed 
by the Chinese to fish for them—a strap being tied round the neck when the 
birds are so engaged, to prevent them swallowing their captures. This practice 
which was introduced into England in the reign of Charles I, became a royal sport, 
in charge of a ‘“‘ Master of Cormorants,” a high office of the Household; but it 
gradually fell out of repute. The pastime was, however, revived a number of 
years ago by Mr. F. H. Salvin, the well known Falconer, who keeps a number 
of birds, and has described, in the Fic/d for 1890, how to train Cormorants to fish 
properly. 
“You must,” he says, “put on a fencing mask, ear lappets, and gloves to 
prevent their biting, and attach noose jesses to their legs for the purpose of 
putting them down and taking them up from the ground, all of which helps to 
tame them, especially if long drills are given them during the morning and 
evening. Cormorants’ necks being very strong and elastic, these birds may be 
handled by the neck without jerking or roughness. When sufficiently tame, you 
begin to train them; for which end you put a small one-buckled strap on their 
necks, which must not be buckled too tight, and having supplied a large deep 
