RAZORBILL.
the crews who assisted me at my work often bogged Tor a few to be shot when the birds were abundant
in the Channel, stating that they proved excellent when baked, after having been skinned and laid in fresh
water, by which means the fishy flavour is removed.
I am not acquainted with any breeding-stations of this species in the south of England, within many
miles of the Susses roast, that are resorted to at the present time. That such still exist, however, is
evident, as a fisherman who was working his shrimp-net over the sands near Shorehain on the 9th of August,
1883, captured in the shallow water a young ono that bad strayed some distance from the old bird. So
far as I could judge (my examination having unfortunately been a "post mortem"), the downy juvenile
was about ten days or a fortnight old. The man who secured this variety, knowing that I would like
to attempt to roar it, carried the little stranger home and sent word to me at Brighton. Oa arriving and
making inquiries, I learned that his wife, having been wearied by its continued erics for food, had put
an end to its existence, declaring that she could not bear to bear it " calling for its titty."
CORMORANT.
PHALACROCORAX CARBO.
FHOM Caithness to Cornwall Cormorants may be met with at one season or another, their haunts being
either in the cliffs and rugged rocks overhanging the sea, or about the mudflats surrounding the estuaries
of the low-lying portions of our shores. These birds also make their way inland, frequenting rivers ami
occasionally resorting to Hie broad- and meres, evincing a partiality for those waters well stocked with fish. I
often watched a bird or two perched on the posts marking the course of the river across llrcydou mudflats
near Yarmouth, and others were noticed on the beacons that guide the steainhi>ats on Loch Ness, An old ferryman
living at Dochfour, near the east cud of the loeb, who often rowed my boat w bile Ashing, was luud in
abuse of these birds, which he termed Crans, declaring that they consumed immense quantities of troul; and
doubtless the opinion he had formed concerning their destructive habits was correct. At the time of my
last visit to the Fern Islands, in 1SG7, there were, about one hundred pairs breeding on a low rocky island,
the highest nest being only aliout twenty feet above high-wafer mark, anil the whole cii-ily accessible. I
learned from Barling, the egg-collector, that these' birds usually change their nesting-quarters every season.
The eggs of this species are sold at the neighbouring villages or to chance purchasers at four a penny •.
On the Yorkshire coast, a few miles north or Whitby, I noticed a considerable number, in the summer of
Ib&l, breeding high up in the face of the cliffs, the ledges on which the nests were placed being perfectly
tree from intrusion unless ropes were brought into use. The numbers of Cormorants visible on the
rocks along the wild and dangerous Cornish coast nre sure to attract attention ; in the vicinity of all
the hays and coves they appeared especially abundant, Ashing continually and flying up, to rest ur divss
and dry their plumage, to the face of the cliffs or the detached rocks that offered sevurity from tbe
breaking surf. As I believe the young have not been figured by any author, a description of the soft
parts of an immature bird shot near Lamorna Cove on November 5, lciHt>, in its first autumn plumage,
may not he out or place: —Iris dirty green, circle round a dusky yellow; upper mandible a dull dark
brown, lower a pale yellow tinged with green; gape yellow. Legs outside dark, almost black, inner
side pale yellow; webs and toes dusky, joints of toes darker; uails black.
The season at which the male Cormorant attains the milk-while neck is doubth-ss early in the
spring, anil the bright fathers are' in all probability speedily she'd. During all my travels in the north,
1 have sevn but few binls displaying this very conspicuous colouring. On the 11th of April, 1MKI, I
iiiitiiTd a Cormorant with a perfectly white neck resting on the sand-banks to the east of the choanal
that forms the outlet from the muddy liarbour known as the Little Ferry, •ear Golspie. Though there
was little hope or securing this handsome specimen, 1 determined to make the attempt. A heavy sea
was railing in tbe channel, with a strong wind blowing from the south-east, as we swept out from between
the banks, and s.i much wnte-r broke on board that it was necessary to ruu aground to .save sinking the