400 PHALACROCORAX GRACULUS. 



It is equally abundant in Orkney, according to Mr. Low, 

 ■who says he has " observed sometimes five hundred in a 

 flock, especially where they had fallen in among a shoal of 

 small fish. Our Hoy men and other rock-men tell us they 

 sit in very large flocks on the rocks, and one keeps watch 

 while the rest are asleep. If they can catch the watcher, 

 they are sure of the Avhole ; but if he gives warning, they 

 all throw themselves over the rock into the sea. The rock- 

 men go in the night-time to the places where they frequent, 

 and catch many of them as above." On all the rocky shores 

 of Scotland, its breeding-places are to be seen here and 

 there ; yet large tracts of coast occur on which none are to 

 be seen. Thus, the shores of the Moray Frith, a great part 

 of the coast of Morayshire, the coast from Peterhead to 

 Aberdeen, from Arbroath to Dundee, and thence to Stir- 

 ling, Leith, and Aberlady, produce very few. On the Bass 

 Rock and 07i the coast to the southward it breeds in con- 

 siderable numbers, as well as on the east coast of the north 

 of England. Beyond the Humber to Devonshire it is 

 scarcely met with breeding ; but from Cornwall to the 

 Solway is plentiful in favourable places, and from thence to 

 Cape Wrath and the Butt of the Lewis there is no lack of 

 Scarts. 



From the most northern parts of Europe, including Ice- 

 land and Feroe, it is said to extend to the Mediterranean ; 

 but it has not been met with on the coasts of America, 

 where its place is occupied by a very similar species, Phala- 

 crocorax dilophus. 



I have only to add that the eggs vary greatly in size as 

 well as in form. Some are extremely narrow, others of con- 

 siderable breadth ; but their general form is not elliptical, 

 but oval, one end being always decidedly smaller, and some- 

 times even pointed. The length varies from two inches and 

 seven-twelfths to two inches and three-twelfths ; the breadth 

 from an inch and seven-twelfths to an inch and five-twelfths. 



Young. — The young, at first of a purplish-black or livid 

 tint and bare, are soon covered Avith brownish-black down. 

 When fledged they have the upper parts greenish-brown. 



