Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/488

* CORMON. 418 COBN. aeteristics of the time, having given much study to the sciontific accoimts of ancient and prehis- toric periods, lie enjoys high reputation as an iiistructoi-, and has been successful also in painting portraits. Other works worthy of special mention are: "The Death of Ravana" (1875); -Cain" (1880); and "The Victors of Salamis" (1887). CORMONT, kor'mox', Thomas and Ketxaud de. Father and son; French architects of the thirteenth century; prominent among the build- ers of the Cathedral of Amiens, following Robert de Luzarchcs (1223-69). COBMONTAIGNE, kor'mON'til'ny', Louis DE (11)115-1752). A Frencli military engineer, wlio took part in some of the most important sicj;es in the War of the Polish Succession and that of the Austrian Succession. He had charge of the line of fortification from Calais to the Rhone, and he btiilt new defenses at Strassburg, iletz, and Tliionville. His improvements of Vauban's system of fortification are embodied in his Architecture militaire, par un ofjicier de distinction (1741). COR'MORAN. A Cornish giant in the story of Jack the Oiant-KiUer, whom Jack killed by causing him to fall into a covered pit. CORMORANT (Fr. cormoran, It. corvo ina- iiiio. from cono. crow, and marino, marine; ef. Bret, morvran, cormorant, from mor, Lat. mare, sea -f bran, crow). A group of web-footed birds comprising the steganopode family Phalacrocora- cidce, characterized especially by a bare dilat- able membrane beneath the lower mandible, but not in the form of a sac imdcr the throat as in the pelicans; a compressed bill, rounded above, and with a strong hook at the point of the up- per mandible; the' nostrils linear, and seemingly impervious to air; the claw of the middle toe serrated, used in trimming the plumage : the wings of moderate length : the tail rounded, the feathers stiff and rigid, and used to aid in walk- ing or climbing. The species are distributed over the coasts of most parts of the world, some of them ascending rivers and even visiting fresh- water lakes in pursuit of fish, on which all of these birds subsist exclusively. Cormorants are proverbially voracious. They do not take their prey by diving, when on the wing, but pursue it by swimming and diving, us- ing their wings in progress under water, and sometimes descending to a great depth ; a British species has been caught in a crab-pot fastened 120 feet under water. When the prey has been taken in a manner inconvenient for swallowing, they toss it in the air and adroitly catch it as it descends. The behavior of connorants in fishing and toward each other in their colonies has been described at length by E. Selous in Bird ^Vatc]lin/1 (London, 1001). Some of the species frequent high rocks, others low islands, on which they make rude nests, chiefly of seaweed and almost always in colonies ; some perch and even build their nests on mangroves and other seaside trees. Their greenish-blue eggs are covered with a calcareous incrustation. The flesh of all the species is dark and of a fishy taste, but is sometimes used as food, particularly that of young birds. There are described about twenty-five well- defined si)ecies, of which seven are found in North America. The commonest is the double- crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax dilophus), so called from the lateral crest of curly feathers on the sides of the head, and present throughout North America. The 'common' cormorant {I'ha- lacrocorax carbo) occurs abundantly on both sides of the Atlantic, especiallj' northward, while on the Pacific Coast three species are numerous — the tufted cormorant (I'halacrocorax penicil- latus), the red-faced cormorant {Phalacrocorax hicristat us), and the violet-green comorant {Pha- lacrocorax rioluceus) ; the two latter are espe- cially characteristic of Alaska. The British species are the 'connuon' cormorant, which is about 33 inches long and almost of a black color, but during the breeding season exhibits a sprink- ling of elongated white and almost bristly feathers on the head and back of the neck; and the gi'cen cormorant, or 'shag' {Phalacrocorax r/raculus), which is smaller and dark-green. Two notable species are Pallas's coi'morant, now extinct (see Extinct Anim.vls ), and Harris's, the surf-fish- ing, flightless species of the Galapagos Islands, which is exceedingly rare, of great size, and has wings useful only as fins. See Flightless Birds. Fishing icith cormorants is a very ancient practice, still regularly followed among the Chi- nese and .Japanese, and lately revived as a sport in Great Britain. The birds are taken from the nest when young, and are easily tamed and trained; or old cormorants may be trapped and taught to serve. They are kept for a while and fed meat, etc., until accustomed to their master and the feeding methods. Then a line is fastened to one leg by a leather anklet, and they are taken out in a boat to fish and dra^Ti in after each capture. After a time they may be set free. A ring or strap-collar is fastened about their necks, so that no fish can be swallowed, but only jiouched, and they return to the boat to be relieved of their burden. After a suit.able time the ring is removed, and they are allowed to fish for themselves, or fed. These birds make a living for many families on the Chinese coast, and well-trained ones are highly valued. The modem use of cormorants in this Avay in Eng- land was described and illustrated in The Field (London, October. 1800). See Plate of Fishing BIRD.S, and Colored Plate with Water Birds. CORN" (Lat. coniK. horn; connected with Ir., Welsh corn. Gall. Kapvov, karno)i, Goth, haiirn, AS.. Engl., OIIG. horn. Ger. Horn, also with Gk. K4pat, I'cras, Skt. sriiga, horn). A small hard growth resulting from an increase in the thickness of the cuticle or epidermis, which is generally caused by the irritation of some excessive pressure or friction on the part. Corns occur most commonly on the toes, as a result of tight shoes. Tliree varieties of corns are described — viz. (1) Laminated corns, or callosities, in which the hardened cuticle is arranged in layers, frequent- ly of a dark-bro^^^l color, from the eflfusion of blood in the deeper layers. (2) Fibrous corns (clavi), which are not only fibrous in their early stages, but have convex surfaces, and, as time goes on, sink into the skin, sometimes producing great pain. Frequently a bursa, or small bag containing serum, is formed beneath, and if this should inflame, pus speedily forms, and the pain and constitutional irritation become severe; at oilier times the pressure may cause absorption of the ends of hones, and serious alterations in the condition of a joint. (3) Soft corns occur between the toes and cause much annoyance ; they