216 
THE CORMORANT. 
together in their caves and crevices, perishing with 
hunger, and their numbers daily thinning by death. 
If, indeed, they could venture out, and bear the buf- 
feting of the storm, they would still fail in procuring 
food ; for, as in fishing, these birds always carry their 
heads under water, in order that, with their keen, 
clear, and beautiful eye, they may discover their prey 
at a greater distance, it is obvious that in such com- 
motions of the air and water, they would need even 
a quicker glance than they possess. The use they 
make of their bill in feeding shows remarkable in- 
genuity, as w'ell as agility : if the fish happens to be 
a flat one, a flounder for instance, they will turn it, 
so as to place it in the most commodious position 
for slipping down the throat ; if, on the contrary, it 
happens to be an eel, which has been seized in an 
unfavourable position for gorging, they will throw it 
up, as a cook does a pancake, and catch it in the fall. 
Wild and desolate as are the habitations of these 
birds, and little as they seem to have in common 
with man, yet, judging from one which was caught 
young, and reared, they are not only docile, but 
grateful and affectionate. This bird*, though it had 
fasted twenty-four hours, during its journey by 
coach to the place where it was sent as a present, 
refused every sort of food. It w r as, therefore cram- 
med with raw flesh, as no fish could be procured. 
It submitted patiently to this forced meat, and was 
left by the gentleman, who retired to his library after 
seeing it fed, but who was not a little surprised, 
in a few minutes, to see the bird walking boldly 
into the room, and, when before the fire, beginning 
* See Montagu’s Ornithol . Diet . 
