240 
PELECANIM. 
The great auk is of extreme rarity, not only in the seas around 
the British Islands, but in all those of Europe ; — and it may be 
added, of America also, so far as positively known at the date of 
publication of Audubon's work. This author was, however, as- 
sured by fishermen that the species breeds in a low rocky island 
to the south-east of Newfoundland. 
THE COMMON OB GBEAT COEMOEANT* 
Phalacrocorax carbo, Steph. 
Pelecanus ,, Linn. 
Carbo cormoranus , Temm. 
Is of ordinary occurrence, and resident. 
It may be seen every day about our coasts either on the water or 
conspicuously perched on any prominent object rising above its 
surface ; buoys, & c., in our harbours being as favourite perching 
places as rocks. It may not unfrequently be observed flying over 
land, on the way to or from some fresh-water lake. I have met 
with it at such localities a few miles from the sea, where the latter 
would have afforded an abundant supply of food ; as in the month 
of June, at Port-lough (near Dunfanaghy), some two or three 
miles inland — in July, at a small lake near Portaferry (Strang- 
ford Lough),- — in the middle of June 1833, some appeared about 
Lough Neagh, in the vicinity of Barn's Island; and when visit- 
ing the lake on another occasion, I was told that a species 
of cormorant had bred on Scawdy rock — a low ridge — between 
Toome and Shanes Castle. This is very improbable, and may 
have been imagined from the circumstance of the birds being 
seen there during summer. M f Skimmin, in his f History of 
Carrickfergus, remarks of cormorants : — “ Those here set off, al- 
most every morning, for Lough Neagh, and return again the same 
evening : on one being shot just as it arrived from Lough Neagh, 
* “ Skart ” in Strangford Lough, &c. The ‘ crested corvorant ’ of Bewick is the 
adult bird in spring plumage. 
