CORMORANT, a sea-bird of the genus Phalacrocorax and the family Phalacrocoracidae. The cormorant (P. carbo) is dis tributed throughout the world. It frequents the sea-coast of Europe, and breeds in so cieties at various stations, generally on steep cliffs. The nest consists of a large mass of sea-weed. The eggs, from four to six in number, are small, and have a thick, soft, calcareous shell, bluish-white when first laid, but soon becoming discoloured. The young are hatched blind, and covered with an inky-black skin. As squabs they are highly esteemed for food by the north ern islanders. Their first plumage is of a sombre brownish-black above, and more or less white beneath They take two or three years to assume the fully adult dress, which is deep black, glossed above with bronze, and varied in the breeding season with white on the cheeks and flanks, besides being adorned by filamentary feathers on the head, and a bright yellow gape. The brilliant gape is displayed in courtship.
The flesh of the adult is uneatable.
Taken from the nest, this bird is easily tamed and can be trained to fish for its keeper, as was of old time commonly done in England, where the master of the cormorants was one of the officers of the royal household. The practice is nearly obsolete in Europe, though still common in China. A strap is fastened round the bird's neck so as, without impeding its breath, to hinder it from swallowing its captures. The activity the bird displays under water is almost incredible. See Salvin and Freeman, Falconry Nearly allied to the cormorant, and having much the same habits, is the shag, or green cormorant (P. graculus). The shag is about one-fourth smaller, is much more glossy in plumage, and its nuptial embellishment is a nodding plume. Its tail feathers number 12 instead of I4 In the south of Europe a much smaller species (P. pygmaeus) is found. This is a fresh-water bird. Further species, to the num ber of more than 3o, have been discriminated from other parts of the world, but all hove a great similarity; New Zealand and the west coast of northern America are particularly rich, and the species found there are the most beautifully decorated of any. All are remarkable for their curiously formed feet with all four toes connected by a web, for their long, stiff tails, and for the absence, in the adult, of any exterior nostrils. When gorged they are fond of sitting on an elevated perch, with extended wings, and in this attitude they will remain motionless for a considerable time. Their voracity is proverbial.
Besides the common cormorant, the crested cormorant (P. auritus) is found in the eastern United States, with a more south erly distribution.