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before it is fully established. The general colour of the American species is glossy greenish black; the scapular feathers are very long and slender, forming a sort of pendent plume over the back and wings, and ornamented with a narrow white stripe down the centre of each. the female and young, the front of the neck is of a rusty gray colour, which spreads over the chest. Length about two feet eight or ten inches; but the body does not exceed in size that of a large duck.

Phalacrocorax,

The Cormorants constitute the genus (Brisson,) or Carbo, (Meyer.) The generic characters are as follow: bill long, straight, and compressed, the upper mandible being strongly hooked at the point; cheeks and throat naked; tarsi short and strong; the toes, four in number, being united by webs, and the nail of the middle toe having a serrated edge; wings moderate; tail rounded, and composed of stiff elastic feathers. Excellent divers, and pursuing their prey, quick and active as it is, with astonishing rapidity, the Cormorants, like those birds which we have noticed as preeminent for address on the water, are but slow and embarrassed on the land, aiding themselves by their tail, which serves as a sort of prop. The same may be also observed of the New Holland Musk Duck, (Hydrobates,) which we pointed out as allying the ducks to the present group. In swimming, the body is nearly submerged, and the tail completely so, acting as a most efficient rudder. Their flight is rapid and strong. They perch, like the darter, on trees, where they often build their nests, though in this respect they are guided by circumstances. In spring they acquire ornamental feathers on the neck and thighs; the young do not assume the adult colouring till after the autumn moult.

The COMMON CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax Carbo) is the most characteristic example. A native of the northern regions of both portions of the globe, this splendid bird is common on the British shores, as well as on those of the adjoining continent, where it selects the very summits of the highest rocks for the site of its nest. An

unwearied and active fisher, it is the scourge of the finny tribes, the eel being its favourite food. The gullet is large and dilatable, so that a fish of considerable size is swallowed without any difficulty, head foremost; should the fish, however, be seized transversely, the bird throws it into the air, and dexterously catches it as it falls. The eyes of the Cormorant, in consequence of their structure,* are expressly adapted, as is the case with other diving

birds, for subaquatic vision; hence, in the act of looking for its prey, the head is always kept beneath the surface. In winter, the Cormorant often wanders inland, and may be seen on lakes and rivers at a considerable distance from the sea. Its nest consists of a mass of sea-weeds compacted together, and is generally placed upon the highest pinnacle of the rocks, overhanging the outspread waters. The number of eggs are from three to five.

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The young, when first hatched, are quite naked, like the young of the gannet, but soon become covered with thick black down, and are fledged and capable of taking to the water in about six weeks.

When surprised in the nest, they have a singular habit of stretching out the neck, raising up the head, opening their bills, and vibrating the loose skin of the throat, at the same time uttering a cry expressive of alarm and danger. The Cormorant has usually been regarded with dislike, from an exaggerated idea of its ravenous propensities and ferocious disposition; like other fish-eating birds, its digestion, as is well observed by Selby," is rapid, and its consumption of food consequently great; but the epithet of glutton, and the accusation of unrelenting cruelty, are no more applicable to it than to any other bird destined by its Creator to prey on living matter." It will, perhaps, surprise our readers to assure them that the Cormorant is extremely docile and affectionate; one of these birds, which was caught by accident, was kept by Col. Montagu, and very shortly became quite tame and familiar, joining him at the fire-side, and dressing its feathers with perfect self-possession. It lived in perfect harmony with ducks, swans, geese, and other birds, and was only excited by the sight of fish. It never attempted to ramble, but if a door was open would walk into the house, " without deference to any one, regardless even of a dog," and was, in fact, "troublesomely tame." This character Selby observes he can confirm, having himself kept one in a domesticated state.

In China, the present bird, or an allied species, is trained for the purpose of catching fish, as hawks were for falconry; and such it appears was the case in Europe. "Whitelock says he had a cast of them manned like hawks, and which would come to hand; he took much pleasure in them, and relates that the best he had were presented to him by Mr. Wood, master of the Cormorants to King Charles the First."-See Latham. Swammerdam also relates the circumstance of trained Cormorants being brought from Holland to England for sale. It appears that in China, as formerly in Europe, when these birds are taken out to

fish, a string or leather thong is fastened moderately tight round their necks, in order to prevent their swallowing the prey they seize, which they would otherwise do, and having satiated themselves, repose in indolence. As soon as their work is over, they receive a portion of the spoil which they have so industriously procured. It is said, that if one bird seizes a fish too heavy for it to manage, one of its companions will hasten to its assistance, and both mutually exerting themselves, convey it to the boat where their master is waiting to receive it. Such is their docility, that one man easily manages a considerable number, all fishing at once. The Cormorant is mentioned in the Scriptures as among unclean birds, and is elsewhere also alluded to, though according to some commentators the word will bear translating pelican.— See Isaiah xxxiv. 11.

The colours of the adult, in full plumage, are as follow: Top of the head, neck, breast, lower part of the back, and under surface, of a glossy greenish black; a white gorget stretches across the throat, and white silky hairlike feathers are scattered over the upper part of the neck; top of the back and wings, fine bronze brown, each feather having a marginal belt of rich velvet black; quill and tail-feathers, black; bill, dusky; the naked skin of the throat, yellowish; feet, black.

Besides the Cormorant, our islands produce a second species, the CRESTED SHAG, or Green Cormorant, (Phalacrocorax cristatus,) which is very common on almost every rocky portion of our coast, where it builds a seaweed nest, and rears its young. In its habits and manners it precisely agrees with the foregoing species, so as to require no separate notice. The crest, which consists of a tuft of long green feathers, is lost after the breeding season. The upper part of the back and the shoulders of a deep bronzed green, every feather having a margin of velvet black. The head, neck, and under surface fine silky blackish green. Tail consists of twelve feathers. Tarsi and toes black; naked skin of the throat yellow. The foreign species of the present genus are rather numerous, and not very well made out.

There is something in the general habits and manners of the Pelecanide, and one or two other families of the present order, which strongly brings to mind the raptorial birds, with which we commenced our survey. Look at the osprey, (Pandion Haliaëtus,) look at the sea-eagle of the old world, or the white-headed eagle of North America, and let the inquiry be, Can we not bring forward their parallels among the natatorial birds, and the present family especially? Some are industrious fishers, like the osprey; others are their despoilers, like the white-headed eagle. Added to this, their powers of flight, enabling them to soar and plunge from their altitude upon their prey in the deep below, remind one of the swoop of the eagle, or the kite, or the pounce of the long-winged falcon; while such as skim the surface, and sweep off their prey as they fly, are not ill represented by the light and slender harriers, (Circus,) or the sailing kites, (Milvus,) that scour the wide and open plains, on pinions quick and dexterous as those of the swift or goatsucker. If these ideas have any foundation in the laws of nature, if birds of opposite orders are thus linked together, as it were, by a parallelism of form, habits, and manners, the genus now to be introduced, and with which we shall conclude this rudimentary sketch, will fully illustrate the point in question.

This genus is termed Tachypetes, and is characterized by a strong elongated beak, having a powerful hooked nail at the tip; by extremely short tarsi, and feet only partially webbed; long wings, and a forked tail. One clearly ascertained species is all at present recognised; namely, the FRIGATE-BIRD, (Tachypetes Aquilus, VIEILL.) whose alliance to the Falconidae is expressly alluded to in its specific appellation. This bird is among the most singular of the feathered race: while on the one hand its place in nature would appear, from its webbed feet, to be among the water birds that sport on the ocean's surface; on the other hand, its general form and rapacious habits ally it to the birds of prey that strike their quarry on the wing, or sweep it from the ground, and of these, perhaps, more particularly to the kites. The truth is,