The sun., 1901-09-15
FISHERMEN IN FEATHERS.
FINE AT A CATCH ARE SOME OF
THE BIRDS THAT VISIT US.


hanging limb 20 tho water beneath. a splash,
an s,ultant chatter. and another fish n a
.arrifcc TO tho appetite Of the belted king
,sn.r This is no unusual sight along
,,t,r COURSES and about the shores OF
,,pds and lakes. and many people are
familiar with II Every one takes n for
Granted from his name that the kingfisher
j. the feathercd 1zaak Walton. although
,b, fish hawk, too. y known as an expert
angler. but very few people rcalize that
thsr. are large numbers Of common Ameri-
can birds which are equally devoted TO the
piscaiurial art.
Grebes looms. auks. terms. gannets.
ucrgau~ers and many others live almost
wholly on Ash. which they catch either by
diving or 10y actually giving chase under
water Il seems incredible that a bird
should be able to overtake a fish Ia its own
element. but the fact Is unquestionable
CulI- are we'll known to every one along
our coasts hut the casual observer usually
fail. 10 distinguish them from the terms
with which they are often associated Ia
spring and fall The terms are less numer-
or. aud average much smaller and more
slender Unlike tho gulls their tails are
nways forked. while their flight is far more
graceful The most striking difference
/. the manner of holding tho bill. which IN
tie gull points forward, but In the tern
3. held at right angles TO the body.
Until terms became fashionable a. hat
trimmings they were to he found in count
l--- thousands along the shore In summer.
Nov II YOU would -sse them In their breed
irg hhunts you must go to Gull Island,
iear the eastern end Of Long Island or to
l.. Lat. N.nf..sL,t t.I
Martha's Vineyard. where there are keepers
raid 10 protect them There you will find
tine common terms or sea swallows and the
les numerous rosea,s terms. Both are
,kilful fishermen. dnrting down upon small
.i.h swimming near the surface with rush
thai Is seldom in vain. Often they dis
APPEAR under water for a moment.
The terms come to US In NAV. leaving In
September for the South About the time
oi their departure. there appear along the
Long Island shores the cormorants, both
tho common cormorant or shag and his
douhle-crertcd brother, which. In spite
of the name. h far commoner with us than
the first mentioned Although many times
larger than the terms. they arc fully a.
agile anglers. From low porch or while
fnating on the waves they dive after fish
swimming near the surface. often pursu-
ing them under water for some distance
and seldom failing TO close their strongly
hooked bcak upon their prey. They use
their wings a. we'll a. their webbed feet
in the chase
The shag j. not a lovely creature 10 look
Upon. rather -nightmarish bird Of rock
and wave and its voracity is boundlesS
Tho Chinese tame Il and teach Il To fish
for its owner slipping a close collar about
the neck to keep II from swallowing what
4 catches The name. cormorant. j. prob
ably a corruption OF the Latin name. CorrHs
narinus. or sea crow. They migrate In
hrx. aock-, fying higb and much after
the fashion OF ducks. They breed from
the BAY Of Fundy northwsrd to the Arctic
circle. nesting on rocky ledRes or low bushes
II tiic old birds are unloVely. the newly
lttohed young are simply hid"ous naked,
lvid lumps. chiefly stomach and feet in a
,ery filthy nest. Cormorants dive from
tine water or a low perch hut the osprey
dRshas down on it, victim from n lookout
D. gl In the aiT. where II sails slowly along.
ever on the watch. The dizzy plunge to
the water and beneath II is a stirring sight
The great splash which follows j. almost
Invariably the death knell OF a fish In
,'ance- have been recorded Of the hawk .
riking prize too large 60 h. drawn from
the water and, unable 90 rrlcase its ialons.
both captive and captor perishing
Iike the osprey or fish hawk. the pied
lied grebe sometimes breeds anywhere
IN IT, range. hut hereabouts 1t j. chiefly
transient visitor. returning To us in Sep- |
,enber. u. relatives. tho horned grcbe /
and Holboell's grebe. which breed IN the
.Ntremc northern United States and thenc. F,
rorthward, do not reach us on the return /
journey until October. Water is the natural
clemcn, OF the grcbe. almost A. much a. 81 |
the fish, From the hour 1t leaves tho egg.
v hch has been warmed 10 life in nest
d Wet. half lf-dccayed grass ana reeds. /
usually floating IN the water Of pond
a. slough IL avoids the land wherp. all
g. life, il j. as awkward A. n human infant 4
Just learn NJ 10 walk, and II seldom mounts F.
To- tho air except when migrating What
u IL IN the water some Of its names may
show Water witch spirit duck
'dipyer, -hell-dver. dip chick all in .
dicate tho rrma rkahlr celebrity with which
T. disappears beneath III" surface when
oanger threatens Oriinariy d, plunce-
fprward with amazing quicknns- aud van .
i-hes head first. bul " also has he unusual .
trick ~ sinking backward into the water
with the sld,"ur'-~ of stone Fish form
V- fItfl If-I dlfl i| fA't'fts fNfn flN SWIFT
ming under water after Them, using its
feet alone. which probably move AZ much .
such q rate a. the hummng birds wings
Of capiive gr-be IL was said
when lifted out Of the water tho feet
worked % fast ~ to 10 lus' 10 tho eve In
mere haze 81 inany shadowy fent with
ono attachment
-As crazy a. n looE" y a familiar saving,
lut on" who looks tor th" iir-' tiilr upon
this alert, cunning. p.ou'" up,-rful
ling of tha diver NAV W'l p" al a lpss
80 understand ihc expression pu-sillv .
thc source lies iH H. w"iri, m1uia.al Ia
h., vhich wnke- III" '', boss e. thr north .
srn lakss sounding liz" IN UuCdury yu-
snliyation ~ mental uulalai,.' ~ j. .
PROUD sportsman Who shots % boon. and
iurdrcas tiy ter every uur y lu ~u,,Hs.,,,iS
7 hr lind di,,-s Vith almo~i in, rc.iihl" .rd-
d' mes aud i' always sssk- to 'sDnI-a its
Igr-Ici~ IN this wRN, never lv taking
flcb u "ftcu fonuIu'Hr- haf nail" or
milo Eway from Whcr" u wcif down.
. ufciim'- pg~-ing uid'i vogr i,pai sni
coming i0 tir stITfsD' io = holly unlocked
fot quartz. T. la lecu --'p 10 dissp-
I@r' prd corl. up presently with = zig
'r"u', having olortak"n % IN IT, own "i"-
n'u' Nlwo'tHv- " gpe~ down and gprges
rscif NJ -" Hshcftncn's ~ein~s u hes
teen taken !"r'y feet under water on books
lai'.d for trout
- common loon r,tutrs 20 ~ from !