BRANDT'S CORMORANT. 



[Phalacrocorax penicillatus.) 



There are about thirty species of Cor- 

 morants which are distributed throughout 

 the world. Ten of these are known to 

 inhabit North America. They are ocean 

 birds, yet they are also occasionally seen 

 on the larger bodies of fresh water. The 

 Pacific coast of North America and the 

 shores of New Zealand are rich in species 

 and their plumage is more beautiful than 

 that of those found in other parts of the 

 world. 



The name Cormorant is derived from 

 the Latin words Corvus Marinus, mean- 

 ing marine crow or raven. This name 

 may have been suggested by the fact that 

 these birds are fond of sitting on an ele- 

 vated perch, especially after a hearty 

 meal. In this habit of seeking high 

 perches, and because of their dark color, 

 they resemble the raven or crow. The 

 generic name Phalacrocorax is derived 

 from the Greek words, meaning bald 

 crow. 



One of the species that frequents the 

 coast of Europe is easily tamed and in 

 early times was trained to fish for its 

 master. There was even an appointment 

 in the royal household known as the 

 "Master of the Cormorants." When used 

 in fishing "a strap is fastened around the 

 bird's neck so as, without impeding its 

 breath, to hinder it from swallowing its 

 captures. Arrived at the waterside, it is 

 cast off. It at once dives and darts along 

 the bottom as swiftly as an arrow in quest 

 of its prey, rapidly scanning every hole 

 or pool. A fish is generally seized within 

 a few seconds of its being sighted and as 

 each is taken the bird rises to the surface 

 with its capture in its bill. It does not 

 take much longer to dispose of the prize in 

 the dilatable skin of its throat so far as 

 the strap will allow and the pursuit is re- 

 commenced until the bird's gular pouch, 

 capacious as it is, will hold no more. It 

 then returns to its keeper, who has been 

 anxiously watching and encouraging its 

 movements, and a little manipulation of 



its neck effects the delivery of the booty." 



The Cormorants are voracious eaters. 

 They catch the fish, which is their usual 

 food, under water by rapid swimming and 

 with the aid of their hooked bills. On ac- 

 count of this habit of the bird the word 

 Cormorant has been used synonymously 

 with the word glutton, rapacious or av- 

 aricious when applied to a person who 

 exhibits these traits. 



Brandt's Cormorant, the bird of our il- 

 lustration, is found on the Pacific coast 

 from the state of Washington southward 

 to Cape St. Lucas at the southern extrem- 

 ity of Lower California. In its habits it is 

 gregarious and collects in great numbers 

 wherever its natural food of fish is plen- 

 tiful. These flocks present a very odd ap- 

 pearance and their long necks appear as 

 numerous black sticks on the watery back- 

 ground. 



Mr. Leverett M. Loomis well illustrates 

 the habits of these birds in a report on 

 the California Water bird's. He says of 

 a rookery "which is situated on a rock, 

 or little islet, in the ocean at the extremity 

 of Point Carmel, about fifteen yards from 

 the mainland. This rock rises perpendic- 

 ularly some forty or more feet above the 

 water. At first sight it does not seem that 

 it can be scaled, but closer inspection re- 

 veals that a foothold may be had in the 

 seams and protuberances on its water- 

 worn sides. Only on days when the sea 

 is very calm can the rock be landed upon 

 and then only from the sheltered channel 

 separating it from the mainland. We first 

 took a view of the rookery from the main- 

 land. The Cormorants were very tame, 

 remaining on their nests while we clam- 

 bered down the sloping rocks and while 

 we stood watching them on the same 

 level, only a few yards away. They were 

 equally tame when our boat drew nearer 

 as we approached from the water. The 

 clefts in the sides of the rock were occu- 

 pied by Baird's Cormorant and the top by 

 Brandt's. There were comparatively few 



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