CORMORANT. 101 
feathers, which is a great characteristic distinction of this species from 
the shag-. 
We have seen twenty or thirty of these birds tog-ether ; in some the 
upper parts are dusky, dashed over with ash-colour ; the under parts of 
the neck and breast light brown ; the belly dirty white ; in others the 
feathers of the head are a little elong-ated, forming- a short pendant 
crest, and a patch of white on the thighs. 
This variety of marking- is, perhaps, common to the species, with- 
out any regard to age or sex. We have, however, upon dissection, 
generally found the females lightest coloured. 
The Cormorant breeds on most of our rocky coasts, sometimes in 
consort with the shag. We have seen, on the coast of Wales, an in- 
sulated rock covered with their nests, which are composed of sticks 
and sea-weed. The eggs are generally three in number, colour white, 
weight about two ounces. 
It frequently builds on the very summit of the highest rocks of the 
impending sea, while the shag rarely builds so high. In the winter, 
the Cormorant is frequently found in fresh-water rivers, at a consider- 
able distance from the sea. In that season, we have seen eight or ten 
together far up the river Usk, perched upon a tree. The shag is 
never observed to quit the neighbourhood of the sea. 
This bird is a great destroyer of fish ; and, by frequent diving, the 
wings often become so wet as to incapacitate it from flying. It is 
said that it has been trained, and used for fishing- in the manner 
hawks have been for fowling ; and that, in order to prevent their 
swallowing the prey, a tight collar was put round the neck. * One of 
these birds kept by Colonel Montagu, was extremely docile, of a 
grateful disposition, and by no means of a savage or vindictive spirit. 
It was surprised under the banks of a rivulet, running- into the Bristol 
Channel, by a Newfoundland dog, and not being- in its accustomed 
plumage, was reported to him as a curious and unknown species. 
Having reached him after a twenty-four hours’ journey by coach, 
every sort of food at hand was offered to it, and rejected ; even raw 
flesh was unacceptable, and no fish could then be procured : he was, 
consequently, compelled to cram it with raw flesh, which it took 
reluctantly, but without offering any offence with its formidable bill. 
Having retired to the library after seeing it fed, he was surprised, in a 
few minutes, to see the stranger walk boldly into the room, and join him 
at the fire side with the utmost familiarity, resuming the task of 
dressing its feathers, until it was removed to an aquatic menagerie. At 
the sight of water it became restless, and when liberated, plunged and 
dived incessantly for a considerable time without obtaining a single 
