426 THE DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. 



great havoc among the young, which they salt for food or bait. The old 

 birds are too shy to be killed in great numbers, otherwise their feathers, 

 although they smell strongly of fish, might be turned to account. I have 

 never eaten Cormorant's flesh, and intend to refrain from tasting it until 

 nothing better can be procured. 



The flight of this species is strong and well sustained, although not so rapid 

 as that of the Florida Cormorant. It sails at times in a beautiful manner, 

 and at a great height above the waters. Like other species, the Double- 

 crested Cormorants are fond of sunning themselves, with their wings spread 

 out. They walk awkwardly, and cannot run without the aid of their wings. 

 In order to arise from the water, in which they sink so as nearly to be 

 covered when swimming, they are obliged to run and beat the surface for 

 many yards, before they get fairly on wing. Their food consists of shrimps, 

 lents, capelings, codlings, and other fishes, scarcely any kind coming amiss 

 unless too strong or of too great a size. Of the codlings especially they 

 devour vast numbers, they being in astonishing shoals on the coast of Labrador 

 at the time when the Cormorants are breeding, and indeed remaining until 

 the departure of the birds, when they retire to deeper water. I never saw a 

 Cormorant plunge from the air after its prey, but should be much gratified 

 by such a sight, which, if we trust compilers, is nothing uncommon; nor 

 have I ever seen a bird of this species perched on anything higher than the 

 top of the low island on which the nest is placed, none having been observed 

 by me on any of the high rocks on which the common species breeds in 

 America. 



I have given the figure of a beautiful male in its perfect spring plumage. 

 This is probably the only representation of the bird yet presented to the 

 public, and the same remark applies to the Florida Cormorant. 



Pelecands (Carbo) dilophds, Double-crested Cormorant, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. 



Amer., vol. ii. p. 473. 

 Double-crested Cormorant, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 483. 

 Dodble-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax dilophus, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 420; 



vol. v. p. 629. 



Male, 33, 51. 



Common as far south as the coast of Maryland, in winter. Breeds in 

 Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as on the Saskatchewan. 



Adult Male at the commencement of the breeding season. 



Bill about the length of the head, rather slender, somewhat compressed, 

 straight, with the tip curved. Upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly 

 concave, until near the tip, when it is curved, the ridge convex, and 

 separated from the sides by a narrow groove, the sides erect, convex, the 

 edges sharp and straight as far as the unguis, which is strong, convex above, 



