seen along the shores of the Mississippi and Missouri, imparting a peculiar character to the otherwise solitary scene; their solemn and quiet demeanour being in strict unison with the stillness of the uninhabited plains which surround them. They build in societies, and are seldom found except in flocks. When they are disturbed they rise in much confusion, but soon form in regular order, usually flying in long lines, though sometimes in a triangle, like geese, with their long bills resting on their breasts. Charles Bonaparte has confounded this bird with the brown species, from which however it appears to be distinct, both in appearance and habits.-Cabinet of Nat. History.

Is about the size of a large Muscovy duck, and may be distinguished by its four toes being united by membranes together; and by the middle toe being toothed or notched, like a saw, to assist it in holding its fishy prey. The head and neck of this bird are of a sooty blackness, and the body thick and heavy, more inclining in figure to that of the goose than the gull. As soon as the winter approaches, they are seen dispersed along the sea shore, and ascending

up the mouths of fresh water rivers, carrying destruction to all the finny tribe. They are most remarkably voracious, and have a most sudden digestion. Their appetite is forever craving, and never satisfied. This gnawing. sensation may probably be increased by the great quantity of small worms that fill their intestines, and which their increasing gluttony contributes to engender.

This bird has the most rank and disagreeable smell, and is more fœtid than even carrion, when in its most healthful state. It is seen as well by land as sea; it fishes in fresh water lakes, as well as in the depths of the ocean; it builds in the cliffs of rocks, as well as on trees; and preys not only in the day time, but by night.

Its indefatigable nature, and its great power in catching fish, were, probably, the motives that induced some nations to breed this bird up tame, for the purpose of fishing. The description of their manner of fishing is thus delivered by Faber.

"When they carry them out of the rooms where they are kept, to the fish pools, they hoodwink them, that they may not be frightened by the way. When they are come to the rivers, they take off their hoods; and having tied a leather thong round the lower part of their necks, that they may not swallow down the fish they catch, they throw them into the river. They presently dive under water; and there, for a long time, with wonderful swiftness, pursue the fish; and, when they have caught them, rise to the top of the water, and pressing the fish lightly with their bills, swallow them; till each bird has, after this manner, devoured five or six fishes. Then their keepers call them to the fist, to which they readily fly; and, one after another, vomit up all their fish, a little bruised with the first nip given in catching them. When they have done fishing, setting the birds on some high place, they loose the string

from their necks, leaving the passage to the stomach free and open; and, for their reward, they throw them part of their prey; to each one or two fishes, which they will catch most dexterously, as they are falling in the air."

At present, the Corvorant is trained up in every part of China for the same purpose. "It is very pleasant to behold with what sagacity they portion out the lake or the canal where they are upon duty. When they have found their prey, they seize it with their beak by the middle, and carry it without fail to their master. When the fish is too large, they then give each other mutual assistance: one seizes it by the head, the other by the tail, and in this manner carry it to the boat together. They have always, while they fish, a string fastened round their throats, to prevent them from devouring their prey." Such was formerly the practice in England; and as late as the reign of Charles I. there was an officer of the household who bore the title of Master of the Cormorants.

THE SHAG,

WHICH the French call the Lesser Corvorant, is another of the pelican genus. The COMMON SHAG is in length two feet. The general colour of its plumage is black, the belly is dusky, and the head and neck glossed with green. Like the corvorant it builds in trees. The CRESTED SHAG is somewhat less than the preceding, and is less common. The VIOLET and RED-FACED SHAGS are both natives of Kamtschatka; and SPOTTED and CARUNCULATED SHAGS are found in New Zealand. Besides these, there are several other foreign species, particularly in Africa, where there are two kinds of Shags not larger than a teal.

THE GANNET, OR SOLAN GOOSE,

Is of the size of a tame goose, but its wings much longer, being six feet over. The bill is six inches long, straight

almost to the point.

It differs from the corvorant in size, colour, which is chiefly dirty white, with a cinereous tinge; and by its having no nostrils, but

being larger; in its

in their place a long furrow that reaches almost to the end of the bill. From the corner of the mouth is a narrow slip of black bare skin, that extends to the hind part of the head; beneath the skin is another that, like the pouch of the Pelican, is dilitable, and of size sufficient to contain five or six entire herrings, which in the breeding season it carries at once to its mate or its young.

These birds, which subsist entirely upon fish, chiefly resort to those uninhabited islands where their food is found in plenty, and men seldom come to disturb them. The islands to the north of Scotland, the Skelig islands off the coasts of Kerry, in Ireland, and those that lie in the north sea off Norway, abound with them. But it is on the Bass Island, in the Firth of Edinburgh, where they are seen in the greatest abundance. "It is scarcely possible to walk there without treading on them: the flocks of birds upon the wing are so numerous as to darken the air like a cloud; and their noise is such, that one cannot, without difficulty, be heard by the person next to him."

The Gannet is a bird of passage. In winter it seeks the more southern coasts of Cornwall, in England, hovering over the shoals of herrings and pilchards that then come down from the northern seas: its first appearance in the northern islands is in the beginning of spring; and it continues to breed till the end of summer. But, in general, its motions are determined by the migrations of the immense shoals of herrings that come pouring down at that season through the British Channel, and supply all Europe as well as this bird with their spoil. The Gannet assiduously attends the shoal in their passage, keeps with them in their whole circuit round the island, and shares with the fishermen this exhaustless banquet. As it is strong of wing, it never comes near the land, but is constant to its prey. The young Gannet is accounted a great dainty by the Scots, and sold very dear.

These birds breed but once a year, on the highest and steepest rocks near the sea, and lay only one egg, but if that be taken away, they lay another; and if that be also taken away, then a third; but never more for that season. Their eggs are white, and rather less than those of the common goose; and their nest large, composed of such substances as are found floating on the surface of the sea. The young birds during the first year differ greatly in colour from the old ones; being of a dusky hue, speckled with numerous triangular white spots.

These birds, when they pass from place to place, unite in small flocks of from five to fifteen; and, except in very fine weather, fly low, near the shore, but never pass over it; doubling the capes and projecting parts, and keeping nearly at an equal distance from the land. During their fishing they rise high into the air, and sail aloft over the shoals of herrings or pilchards, much in the manner of kites. When they observed the shoal crowded thick to