THE COMMON CORMORANT, 
125 
and that, had they had a noose attached to then- poles, they might have 
secured at least one of them, but that after a few minutes one drew out her 
head, stretched her neck, and after looking around flew off croaking, so as 
to alarm all her neighbours. 
We saw no nests of this species placed in any other situations than the 
highest shelves of the precipitous rocks fronting the water and having a 
southern exposure. No other Cormorants bred on the spots of which this 
kind had taken possession; but Ravens and Peregrine Falcons were observed 
to have nests on the same rocks, and in some instances close to them. The 
nests were formed of a quantity of small dry sticks, matted in a rude manner 
with a large quantity of weeds and moss, to a thickness of four or five inches 
in new nests, and in others to that of a foot or more ; for we observed that 
this species, as well as the Double-crested and the Florida Cormorants, repair 
and enlarge their tenements each season, and return to the same rocks many 
years in succession, as was shewn by their places of resort remaining white- 
washed with excrements through the winter, in which condition we saw 
them previous to the arrival of the birds that season. The nests varied in 
breadth according to the space on which they were placed ; where there 
was ample room, they measured at the base from thirty to thirty-six inches 
in diameter ; others were scarcely large enough to hold the, young, which 
nevertheless seemed as contented as their neighbours. On some shelves, 
eight or ten yards in extent, the nests were crowded together ; but more 
usually they were placed apart on every secure place without any order ; 
none, however, were below a certain height on the rocks, nor were there 
any on the summit. The nests being covered with filth, were offensive to 
the eye, and still more so to. the nose. The eggs, three or four in number, 
more frequently the former, average two inches and five-eighths in length, 
by one inch and three-quarters in breadth, the shell of a uniform pale bluish- 
green colour, mostly coated over with calcareous matter. 
The young are at first of a dark purplish livid colour, and have a very 
uncouth appearance, their legs and feet seeming enormous. In less than a 
fortnight they become covered on all the upper parts with brownish-black 
down, but the abdomen remains bare much longer than the rest. They 
increase rapidly in size, and are fledged in six or seven weeks. Some that 
were weighed when about a month old, averaged three pounds, and others 
almost able to fly six pounds, the young of this species, as of most water 
birds, being much heavier than the parent at the time of leaving the nest. 
We procured several of different sizes, which we kept on the deck. When- 
ever a person approached them, they raised their heads, stretched their necks, 
and opened their bills, so as to expand the skin of the throat, which they 
made to vibrate, while they uttered a sort of hissing mutter of a very strange 
