100 CORMORANT. 



scimitar-shaped, more high than broad, compressed, and straight ; the 

 upper mandible bent at the point ; nostrils in the base of the bill, 

 linear, and lateral, pierced diagonally, and partly covered by a feathered 

 membrane ; wings long and pointed, having the first quill shorter than 

 the second, which is the longest in the wing ; shank shorter than the 

 middle toe ; feet having three toes before and one behind ; toes entirely 

 divided.* 



CORBIE.— A name for the Crow. 

 CORMORANT (Carbo Cormoranus, Meyer.) 



Great Corvorant, Bewick's Br. Birds, 2. p. 381.— Crested Corvorant, lb. 2. p. 388. 

 Pelicanus Corbo, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 216. 3.—Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 573.— Ind. Orn. 

 2. p. 886. 14.— Corvus aquaticus, Raii, Syn. p. 122. A. 3.— Will. p. 248. t.63. 

 — Phalacrocorax, Briss. 6. p. 511. 1. t. 45. — lb. 8vo. 2. p. 495. — Flem. Br. 

 Anim. p. 117. — Grand Cormorant, Temm. 2. p. 894. — Le Cormoran, Buff. 8. 

 p. 310. t. 26.— Cormorant, Will. (Angl.) p. 329. t. 63.— Albin, 2. t. 81.— 

 Corvorant, Br. Zool. 2. No. 291.— Ib. fol. 159. t. I. I.— Lath. Syn. 6. p. 593. 

 13.— Lewin's Br. Birds, 7. t. 263.— Wale. Syn. 1. 1. 92.— Pult. Cat. Dorset, 

 p. 21. 



Provincial. — Great Black Corvorant. Cole Goose. Skart. Green 

 Cormorant. Brougie. Norie. 



Different opinions still exist amongst naturalists with respect to the 

 crested cormorant and crested shag. Some maintaining that they 

 are distinct from the common species, while others consider them 

 as varieties only. We are enabled to prove, beyond all dispute, 

 from incontrovertible facts, that the crested cormorant is no other 

 than a variety of the common species. In the beginning of April, 

 1808, one of these birds was sent to us by Mr. Anstice, with 

 all the marks of the crested cormorant. The sex of this specimen 

 has not been ascertained, as it is now (December, 1809) in perfect 

 health, but has been completely divested of all the marks that charac- 

 terise the crested cormorant, having completely lost the crest, white 

 band on the throat, the hoary neck, and the white on the thighs ; in 

 fact being completely metamorphosed into the Cormorant. 



The specimen from which the following description is taken, was the 

 largest we ever saw. 



It weighed eight pounds ; length three feet three inches ; breadth 

 four feet eleven inches ; the length of the bill five inches, hooked at 

 the point; irides green. The chin, and round the base of the bill 

 to the eyes, bare and yellow; the head and neck black; back greenish 

 black, glossed with purple, each feather bordered with fine deep black ; 

 scapulars and coverts of the wings the same, dashed with ash-colour ; 

 the whole under parts black, except a small patch of white on the 

 throat ; quills dusky black; the tail is rounded, and consists of fourteen 



