THE COMMON CORMORANT. 
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rather thick ; body full, elongated, depressed. Feet short, stout, placed far 
behind ; tibia feathered in its whole length ; tarsus very short, strong, much 
depressed, covered all round with angular scales ; a series on part of the inner 
side anteriorly, and another on the lower part of the outer, scutelliform. 
Toes all placed in the same plane, connected by webs, and covered above by 
very numerous oblique scutella ; first the smallest, fourth the longest. Claws 
rather small, strong, compressed, acute, convex above, arched, that of the 
third toe pectinated on its inner edge. Plumage soft, generally blended, 
compact on the back and wings ; the small gular sac, and the space before 
and beneath the eye, with the eyelids, bare. Wings of moderate size, broad ; 
primaries curved, pointed, the second longest. Tail of moderate length, 
very narrow, much rounded, of twelve or more narrow strong-shafted 
feathers. Gular sac small ; tongue extremely small ; oesophagus very wide ; 
proventricular glands disposed in two large roundish masses ; stomach small, 
slightly muscular, inner coat smooth and soft ; a globular or triangular 
pyloric lobe ; duodenum at first curving upwards ; intestine very long, and 
of moderate width ; cceca small ; rectum narrow ; cloaca globular. Trachea 
considerably flattened ; bronchi of moderate width. 
THE COMMON CORMORANT. 
Phalacrocorax Carro, Linn. 
PLATE CCCOXY. — Male, Female, and Young. 
Look at the birds before you, and mark the affectionate glance of the 
mother, as she stands beside her beloved younglings ! I wish you could 
have witnessed the actions of such groups as I did while in Labrador. 
Methinks I still see the high rolling billows of the St. Lawrence breaking in 
foaming masses against the huge cliffs, on the shelves of which the Cormorant 
places its nest. I lie flat on the edge of the precipice some hundred feet 
above the turbulent waters, and now crawling along with all care, I find 
myself only a few yards above the spot on which the parent bird and her 
young are fondling each other, quite unconscious of my being near. How 
delighted I am to witness their affectionate gratulations, hear their lisping 
