. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. Birds; Reptiles. 286 DUCKS, GEESE, SWANS, AND PEtlOANS. The Common Cormorant (Fig. 104) lias a massive and rather awkward body, feet short and drawn back to the abdomen, the head flattened and small, the guttural pouch very small. Their bulk varies, according to the species, from the size of a Goose to that of a Teal. On the south coast of England they are large birds. Pennant having weighed one which exceeded seven pounds, and measured three feet four inches. Th
. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. Birds; Reptiles. 286 DUCKS, GEESE, SWANS, AND PEtlOANS. The Common Cormorant (Fig. 104) lias a massive and rather awkward body, feet short and drawn back to the abdomen, the head flattened and small, the guttural pouch very small. Their bulk varies, according to the species, from the size of a Goose to that of a Teal. On the south coast of England they are large birds. Pennant having weighed one which exceeded seven pounds, and measured three feet four inches. Their blackish plumage has given the idea of some resemblance existing between them and the Crow; hence their name, " Cormorant," from Corvus varans, which signifies a voracious Crow. These birds have a wide geographical distribution, being found. Fig. 104—Cormorant (^PliaXacrocorax carbo, Gould). in all parts of the globe, and always on the sea-coast or at the mouths of rivers. They are excellent swimmers and clever divers, pursuing with extraordinary rapidity the fish on which they feed. The Cormorant swallows its prey head first; and if it happens to catch it by the wrong end, it will throw it up in the air, and seize it again in its bill as it descends in the proper position. When it has caught an eel, a good half-hour sometimes elapses before it can succeed in swallowing it. It may be seen making the most violent efibrts to swallow its prey ; and just at the moment when one would think that the slippery morsel was successfully absorbed, the fish suddenly reappears again from the depths of. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Figuier, Louis, 1819-1894; Gillmore, Parker, ed. Springfield, Mass. , W. J. Holland
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecad, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectreptiles
