Clafs IL CORVORANT. 477 



definite of noftrils ; the bafe of the lower mandible 

 is covered wich a naked yellowifh fkijn, that extends 

 under the chin, and forms a fort of pouch : a loofe 

 skin of the fame color reaches from the upper mandi- 

 ble round the eyes, and angles of the mouth : the 

 head and neck are of a footy blacknefs -, but under 

 the chin of the male, the feathers are white : and the 

 head in that fex is adorned with a fiiort loofe pendent 

 creft : the coverts of the wings, the fcapnlars, and 

 the back, are of a deep green, edged with black, and 

 gloffed with blue: the qui! feathers and tail dusky-, 

 the lad con fills of fourteen feathers : the belly dusky 

 with a whitifh bed in the midlt of it : on the thighs 

 of the male is a tuft of white feathers : the legs are 

 fhort, flrong, and black -, the middle claw ferrated 

 on the in fide : the irides are of a light afh-color. 

 Thefe birds occupy the higheft parts of the cliffs that 

 impend over the fea: they make their nefls of flicks, 

 lea tang, grafs, &c. and' lay fix or icven white eggs 

 of an oblong-form. In winter they difperfe along the 

 mores, and vifit the frefh waters, where they make 

 great havoke among the fifh. They are remarkably 

 voracious, having a moil fudden digeflion, promoted 

 by the infinite quantity of fmall worms that fill their 

 inteltines. The corvorant has the rankeft and mofl 

 difagreeable fmeli of any bird, even when alive. Its 

 form is difagreeable; it voice hoarfe and croaking, 

 and its qualities bafe. No wonder then that Milton 

 fhould m?k.Q. fatan perfoliate this bird, to furvey unde- 

 ligbted the beauties of Paradife : and fit devifeng deaths 

 on the tree of life*. 



* Taradife hft\ hook iv, I. 194, &c„ 



H h 2 II, The 



