THE NORTH RIDING PROJECT

Young cormorants become perfectly tame, and are readily trained to catch fish for their owners, the precaution being taken of placing a ring round the neck of the bird, to prevent the prey from being totally swallowed.  Nothing is more interesting than to see a cormorant fishing, so well does he swim, and so quickly does he dive.  There he is, long and low in the water, like a pirate craft, and equally swift for his size.  To pursue is to capture, and to overtake is death.

Morris/Birds, 1855