Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-08-08

Ola not disturb the COrnROrant IN lne
least. IL was apparently incorrigible
At the angry signal II dived with aggrava-
ting deliberation, and almost Immediately
reappeared without adding anything TO Its
masters catch. Then the Chinaman ut
! tered several gutteral EXPLANATIONS, and
slgnaled the bird 70 come in by jerking
/ his thumb back over his shoulder The
cormorant swan tantalizingly slow to
the raft. The Chinaman caught 1t by the
neck and dragged II out Of the water. He
cuffed It soundly on the head and threw
II violently on the bamboo. thought the
poor bird must certainly be killed, but 1t
arose coolly TO ITS feet, and at the signal
limped sullenly of to the end OF the raft
where the flrst cormorant was resting
strong in Its masters affection and APP
proyal. The bird manifested unmistska-
BILE delight at the discontinue OF It's COM
panlon, but the others seemed TO notice
nothing but the movement Of their mas
ter.
"rhe Chinaman next held out both
hands and took two Of the remaining birds
at once. These seemed to appreciate his
caresses, and as they were to be worked
together, TO feel that the competition
would result In greater or less reward.
As they waited for the signal they eyed
each other jealousy. When the China
man waved his hand both birds cut the
water at once and disappeared together.
In ten seconds one OF them came up. 1t
had fish. II looked eagerly around on
all sides Its rival had not yet appeared.
The cormorant fastened toward the raft.
II was within two feet OF II before the
other bird had come to the surface, and
then the second one appeared immedi-
ately in front of the first one, and with
large fish in its bill. Both birds mounted
the raft together, and neither had any adj
vantage OF the other in delivering their
catches to the uninterested Chinaman.
The two cormorants were caressed and
sent back into the water. The second
time both birds came to the surface close
together. One had a fish, and the other
had failed to catch one. When this one
saw It's successful rival II became wild.
II thrashed about in the water, seized the
other BIRDS fish, and endeaVored to take
It away. shout and signal from the
Chinaman caused the unsuccessful fisher to
release its hold on the rightful owners
fish. The successful bird swan to the
raft with its catch and proudly placed II
in its masters hands. While 1t was being
caressed the other cormorant swan fran
tlcally about, waiting for the signal from
the Chinaman that would give it another
trial, This was not given until the sue
cessful bird was also ready for another
dive, and both birds went down together.
This time the one that failed before was
the successful bird, and the other one
passed In under the ban.
"ln this way the old Chinaman con-
tinued fishing with his birds for hours.
Sometimes Il cormorant would bring to
the surface a fish too large for II to sue
cessfully handle, and then another bird
would be sent to its aid. When the Chin
aman ceased fishing he had nearly bushel
Of fish, all alive, in his baskets. They
were species of carp, beautifully
marked in many colored stripes. Once
IN while noticed that the bird brought
In fish that reused the ire of the old
ChinRman. These he battered against the
raft, and then chopped them In pieces
and threw them into the water. These
fish, | afterward' learned, were a worthless
kind Of pike.
1.-THE best and most intelligent fishing
cormorants come from the province Of
Che-K lang. The eggs of the bird are
collected after the first laying of spring,
which Is In February, and are placed
under domestic hens 10 be Matched, as
the maternal love aud care of the cormo-
rant is so feebly developed that the young
lind no protection from them. The young,
when just Matched, being extremely weak
and delicate, and very prone to succumb
to the slightest chill, are put in softly
padded or wadded bgmi 90 baskets, where
they can be kept at a uniform tempera-
ture. They are fed with pellets of ground
beans and finely chopped cells until they
are month old. Then they are covered
with feathers aud are fed on cells alone
When the young CoTmorants are two
months old they are worth from So to 81
a pair and live on young live fish No
effort ismade to train them until they
are i've months old, by which time they
have their growth. They are first teth-
cred by string around one foot on the
bank of Il stream or pond, the trainer
stirring the water with pole, and after
a time the birds learn from words and
motions Of his, after throwing some small
fish in the water, that such Is the signal
for them to take to the water.
"The cormorants are kept scantily fed
while being trained, and they attack the
fish with avldty. They are taught by
other words and signs the signal for Ieav-
ing the water, pulling Ct the string on
their foot emphasizing the signal. These
lessons are given for three months, and
then the practice is given the birds from
boats and RATS. A month OF this, and
the cords are removed. The birds that
have been toe stupid to learn their lessons
are killed. The male birds are the most in
telligent, and, after being trained, COM
mand S25 pair. A cormorant only lasts
four years at tho outside, passing then
into helpless decrepltude.
at would take flock of cormorants to
land fish like that, though" said the
narrator as | successfully conquered and
landed In the boat stubborn slx-pound
pickerel
In another column of this lssnn will he