Cormorant: (Leviticus 11:17; Deuteronomy 14:17) Heb. shalak, "plunging," or "darting down," (the
Phalacrocorax carbo), ranked among the "unclean" birds; of the same
family group as the pelican. It is a "plunging" bird, and is common
on the coasts and the island seas of Palestine. Some think the Hebrew
word should be rendered "gannet" (Sula bassana, "the solan goose");
others that it is the "tern" or "sea swallow," which also frequents
the coasts of Palestine as well as the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan
valley during several months of the year. But there is no reason to
depart from the ordinary rendering. In
(Isaiah 34:11; Zephaniah 2:14) (but in
R.V., "pelican") the Hebrew word rendered by this name is ka'ath.
It is translated "pelican" (q.v.) in
(Psalms 102:6) The word literally
means the "vomiter," and the pelican is so called from its vomiting
the shells and other things which it has voraciously swallowed.
