The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-09-15
THE FISHING CORMORANT.
HOW THB CHINESE ANGLER Sc
CURES A CATCH.
Intelligent Birds Which do the
Work of Hook and Line While
Their Master Placidly Smokes.

TrIfeSnnlNtlNGs
interesting and amusing sights imagina-
bic TO see the fishing cormorants at work.
Ispent over year IN China, and the first
time ever saw Chinese fishery at work
was on the Min River This was one
day soon after my arrival in that country.
j was strolling along the banks of the
river and came to bamboo raft or float
moored to the pier of a bridge. l no
tioed a native squatting on the raft, and
saw what at first sight | thought was a
number of ducks grouped at one end of
it. They we're all faced toward the Chi
namau, and he was gazing steadily at
them, bending over with his hands rest
ING on his knees. The sight was Gu
rious one to me, and 1 stopped to see
what was going on. Tho man was an old
fellow with hooked nose, long, crooked
fingers, and thin, sun-burned shanks,
and he looked not little like the birds
he was gazing at. Presently he held out
his right hand, palm upward, toward one
of the birds. It waddled briskly up to
the Chinaman and hoped in his open
palm. l then saw that the birds were
not ducks, and it came to me that they
were fishing cormorants, and that the
Chinaman was about to set the birds to
their tasks. The old native fondly stroked
the feathers Of the bird on his hand,
rubbed his wrinkled cheek along its
neck, which he kissed now and then,
and talked to it Chinese, evidently in en-
dearing terms. The bird showed much
delight at the attentions of its master.
1t laid its head on the Chinaman's arm,
and rubbed its bill against his face.
"These mutual caressings lasted a
minute or more, and then the master of
the bird stepped to the side of the float
and placed the cormorant on the edge of
it. The native then sat down in an easy
bamboo chair in the shade of the bridge
pier and lazily lighted his pipe. The
bird on the edge of the raft dipped its
bill in the water, snapped its jaws to-
gether, looked in scrutinizing manner
up and down the side of the float and
then turned its head and fixed its glisten-
ing black eyes on its master. At sign
from him-a slight wave of his hand
the bird quickly slid from the raft into
the water aud disappeared beneath the
surface without sound, and scarcely
left ripple 10 mark where it had gone
cnwn. The other birds remained mo-
tionless at the end of the float with their
eyes fixed on their master in his chair.
lie pulled away at his pipe, and took no
apparent further interest in the proceed
ings. The cormorant that had made the
dive remained under the water for at
least a quarter of a minute; then it re-
appeared popping almost clear of the
water as it came up. 1t held good
sized fish in its bill, fish brilliantly
marked with red and black stripes. The
bird swan straight to the raft climbed
upon it, and waddling to where its mas
ter sat, laid the fish in his outstretched
hand. He dropped it into covered
basket which was fastened to the raft,
and tloated in the water. The Chinaman
stroked the neck and plumage Of the
bird as he took the fish from it, and NUT
tered words of approval. The cormorant
shook out its feathers and manifested its
delight in various ways. After minute
or so the Chinaman again waved his
hand and the cormorant plunged once
more into the water as noiselessly as be-
fore. The other birds maintained their
stolidity, apparently unmindful of what
was going on around them. The cor
morant that was fishing again made a
successful dive and placed the fish in its
masters hand as before. 1t was caressed
again, and a third time sent into the
water.
''The bird now seemed to be thor
oughly warmed up to its work, and went
at it with an avidity that showed plainly
the pleasure it took in it. The third
time it was under water longer than
usual, and when it finally came up it had
no fish. The change in its action was
frsl r. IL
the water, twisting and turning, and
evincing the greatest distress, but no
matter which way it turned it kept its
sharp eyes fixed intently on its master,
with an expression in them, that was a
mute appeal. The distressed cormorant
made no move to approach the float.
The Chinaman raised his fore6nger, and
then turned it downward with a Jerk.
The bird dived again. and so quickly
that it was gone like flash. In a few
seconds it came up, bearing in its mouth
large fish. 1t swan boldly for the raft,
deposited its prey in its masters hand,
and showed by the joyfulness of its ac-
tion as he stroked its necked that it un-
derstood that it had redeemed itself.
'When the Chinaman had placed the
third fish in his basket he made a sign
with his hand and the cormorant strobe
proudly to the end of the raft opposite
the group of birds where it took an easy
position. 1t seemed to understand that
il had done its work satisfactorily and
was entitled to rest. AS soon as this
signal was given TO the cormorant Wis
ible change came over the other birds
Each one Strengthened itself up to its
full height, arched its neck, shook out
its feathers, and seemed trembling with
expectancy The Chinaman held out hi,
hand as he had done before, and the
largest bird in the group stepped out and
waddled up to the chair. It's master
caressed it as he had done the
first one With the selection of the
second bird by the master the Others a
once resumed their attitude of hstless
ness and indifference. The second bird
seemed sullen, and did not respond tC
the caresses Of the Cinnamon as fhe fret