EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 71 



THE SHAG. 

 (PJialacrocorax graculus.) 



Plate, 19, Fig. 1 



The Shag is a well-known and common resident in the British 

 Islands. It is confined during the breeding seasons to the rocky 

 coasts of Europe, from Iceland, the Faroes, and the entire coast- 

 line of Norway, to the French, Spanish, and Portuguese coasts. 



The present species always prefers a cave, if it can obtain one, 

 for nesting purposes. In some districts where suitable caves are 

 not to be found, the Shags build their nests on the ledges of cliffs. 

 The nests are bulky structures, made principally of sea-weed, 

 masses of turf, sprays of heather, and perhaps a few straws and 

 bits of dead grass. 



The eggs of the Shag, from three to four, sometimes more, in 

 number, do not differ from those of the Cormorant, except that 

 they are slightly smaller. They vary in length from 2'6 to 2'3 

 inches, and in breadth from 16 to 1'4 inch. 



FAMILY PBOCELLABIIDsE, 

 OR PETRELS. 



Of the species of Petrel enumerated in the British List, four 

 breed in Great Britain, but the others are rare visitors, and the 

 following have only been recorded once: — Pelagodroma marina, 

 (Estrelata brevipes, O. hccsitata Daption cajjensis, and Diomedea 

 melanophrys, the latter species of Albatros having been obtained 

 near Peterhead, in 1894. 



THE GEEAT SHEAEAVATEK. 



{Puffin us major.)* 



Plate 20, Fig. 6. 



This Petrel is a tolerably frequent visitor to the British coasts, 

 principally to the extreme south-west of England. It seems 



* Puffinus gravis (O'Reilly)— Salvin, Cat. B, Brit. Mus., XXV., p. 373. 



