Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1896-04-07
ENGLISH coRMoRANTS.
Birds with Regular Habits and Laws Re-
lAting to Stranger.

Birds with Regular Habits and Laws Re-
lAting to Stranger.
Cormoratit colonieSare scarce on our
eastern and'southenstern coast. They
need higi ard inaccessible cliffs in
which fo>ncst and roost together, and
no such cliffs are seen from Flam-
borough head to Dover. The main col
onies of the eastern channel are those
in the chalk cliffs of the Isle of Wight.
Thence the birds fly every day at dawn
to their fishing grounds, and thither
each Hightthey return at dusk, with the
regularity of city meIi travelling home
Ivy rail.
The business of the day is as careful
~ regulated as their times of departure
ar:' return. The roosting places on
-" Main Beach" cliff at Bembrid2e is
ii"ia:ble from the crest above, for at
that point the brow of tile cliff over.
hangs the face. At daybreals the col
"Ay leave the crag, and, flying up into
the tuft above, settle ON a large SLOPE
which giTes them ii complete command
Tor in@ry hundred yards inland, and
f!cIG arrange their feathers and com
irt' their toilet after the nights re-
lose. Then the company divide, flying
~ tairs or small groups arranged in
Al" icrfect " formation, to dscparate
- apparently predetermined fishing
''0ili.s In the Solent fish are less
nt'iul than they were, ard each bird
:E'.S TO frequent some particular sta
II. " a!ch it does not leave till dusk.
=" greater numbers fly out to sea, as
2H;:h On d Journey to france, but
'Ic:S arc "longshorc" birds, and ira,
. go" ~ their posts throughout Tx
':!*U:i. f:,c or: six haunt the buovs
'fr.. /" cctween the "Foreland" and
&c =, .':;:rt. ..... ...
-: :'....He cormorant is allowed to
- ca 'GcSr buoys. If one should an
"nr. - seal bird rises fror. the decps,
- - low ;:Td STRAIGHT, cIlarScs the in
iiH'"' I'D kurls him into the sea.
Nlr""" tho anchored sea marks are
'"' '"J Gagged Euoys," inside which
'.;'%S bell. AT times cormorant
',':"" - through the bars, which are
I :" a. 10 make it po&:'iEie to enter
:fnM Without, but difficult to emerge.
- ard would star"e if not rescued:
- !" "I:"n the cagc AID eject the
:. '."': IS no easy matter. The Luc,
'!i:: ;'.'i S'vings. ard the cormorant,
'h"!?..; o. the intended rescue, "holds
IN" 4" =" defending the entrance with
!. :. ...'; courage.
=" I:,>i OILS B"E:hridgc fisherman
"T%r :" GH1srtCul to release one of
:h""' "..''. Il corrrorants. lie opened
H." r'''c and approached to catch the
bind. fhc cormo!ant's beak cuts like
Il ,%:I ri shears, and his aim was as
*>:,il - uEcrring as that with which
l." SCI. : .lc fish below water. Eut the
) 80 =" mastered. tied, ana lad in the
l.o"t. Iaur."h the captor's Lands were
ut IN every direction. Cnc pair of
corn."'"hts always frequent the har-
"or. wicr" thcy find numbers Of sad
cells. T.:e%.' birds arc far tanner tx.
III" rest. seldom rising to fly unless T..
*rial' yachts and "half-ratCrs" racine
ro""d the harbor approach within 50
.:"r'I& During Il gale, when the har-
Dor is too rough for small boats, the
writer has seen n cormorant rise from
the cater, flap leisurcIy to one of the
:'r'"n yachts lying up Just opposite the
sailing cluhhousP, end there sit, drying
its feathers, within 25 yards of the
quay.-London Spectator.