TOTIPALMATE, OR FULLY WEBBED SWIMMERS (Order Steganapodes) Birds of this order belong chiefly to tropical or sub-tropical countries, and include the tropic birds, gannets, darters, cormorants, pelicans, and man-o'-war birds, representatives of each of these seven families at least touching our southern coast line, although only the cormorant is common enough north of the southern states to come within the scope of this book. The characteristic that separates these birds into a distinct order is the complete webbing of all the toes; the hallux, or great toe, which in many water-birds is either rudimentary, elevated, or disconnected from the other webbed toes, is in these species flat and fully webbed like the rest, a characteristic no other birds have. Cormorants (Family Phalacrocoracidae) More than half of all the birds of the order of fully webbed swimmers are cormorants; found in all parts of the world; but of these we have only one, commonly found in the United States around bodies of fresh water inland as well as off the Atlantic coast. Cormorants nest in great colonies and are gregarious at all times. The Chinese have turned their abnormal appetite for fish to good account, by partly domesticating their common species, putting a tight collar around the bird's throat to prevent it from swallowing its prey, and then sending it forth to hunt for its master. Birds of this family are strong fliers, and although they keep rather close to the water when fishing, often pursuing their game below the surface, they fly high in serried ranks, a few birds deep, but in a long line, during the migrations. The hooked bill that helps hold a slippery fish secure; the iridescent black and brown plumage, which is the same in both sexes; and certain special featherings of a temporary character that are worn during the nesting season only, are among the most noticeable characteristics of this family. Double-crested Cormorant.