ANSERES. OS 



side is made sensible of this at a hundred yards or more. Its usual 

 attitude on the beach is one of repose, with the body inclined forward, 

 the tail resting at full length on the ground, and the head drawn in 

 upon the shoulders. When disturbed, it instantly stretches up its 

 neck, listens, and watches attentively for a short time, and then, after 

 a few ungainly steps, rises into the air with a laboured flapping of its 

 wings, and flies off in the direction of the sea, into Avliich it sjieedily 

 plunges. AVhen associated in pairs, they rise simultaneously, and fly 

 off in company. Sometimes a large flight of them may be observed 

 high in the air, performing apparently a migratory passage, and 



dejjloyed in the form of a wedge, like a flight of Swans 



" Like all the other members of the group, the Black Shag is an 

 accomplished diver, and obtains all its food in this manner. Twenty- 

 five seconds appears to be the average duration of each dive, although 

 the bird is capable of remaining under water for a much longer time. 

 It is interesting to observe it facing a strong rolling surf, and diving 

 under the breakers to avoid their force. AVhen swimming in smooth 

 water, it sometimes amuses itself by slapping its broad wings upon 

 the surface, producing a sound that may be heard to the distance of 

 half a mile. It rises from the Viater with apparent difficulty, and till 

 it is fairly in the air it continues to strike the surface violently with 

 the tips of its wings : this will doubtless account for the ragged 

 appearance often presented by the ends of the primaries. It subsists 

 on fish of various kinds ; and I have observed one capture a good- 

 sized flounder, and after killing it by nipping with its bill, and 

 battering on the water, swallow it whole, the throat of this bird being- 

 capable of great expansion." — Buller. 



151. Phalacrocorax carunculatus. Gml. 



EouGH-rACED Shag. 

 (Plate XXXIV.) 



Blue-black ; wings, green-black ; below, an oblong spot on each wing, and some long 

 feathers over each eye, white ; base of tlie bill furnished with a yellow wattle ; head, 

 crested ; skin round the eye, blue ; between the eye and the nioutli, orange ; legs, scarlet. 



L., 29-5 ; W., 12 ; B., 3-25 ; T., 2 5. 



Egg. — Pale-green ; length, 28 ; breadth, 1'9. (Layard.) 



Hab. — New Zealand ; Straits of Magellan, Falkland Islands, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen's 

 Land. 



Note.— See " Buller," Trans. N. Z. Inst., Vol. IX., p. 338, and " Button," Vol. XL, 

 p. 332. 



152. Phalacrocorax cirrhatus. Gml. 



Top and sides of head, back of neck, nape, and rump, shining blue-black ; glossed on 

 the wii)g9 and scapulars with green ; an oblong spot on each wing, some long linear 

 feathers over each eye, and the whole of the iinder-parts, white ; coronal feathers 

 elongated, slender, and curved forwards ; membrane at the base of the bill carunculated. 



L., 29-5; W., 12; B., 3 75. 



Hob. — Southern part of New Zealand. 



