ANSERES. 95 



157. Phalacrocorax finsclii. Sharpe. 



Differs from P. brevirosfris in having a white spot on the wing coverts. 



Note. — The only known spceiuicn is in the British Museum and the validity of the 

 species seems doubtful. 



158. Phalacrocorax varius. Gml. 



Pied Shag. Kawau. 



Above, greenish-black, brown on the back ; below, white ; thighs, greenish-black. The 

 young birds are brown above, and white, mottled with brown, below. Between the eye and 

 the gape, iiglit-blue ; a spot in front of the eye, bright-yellow. 



L., 30; W., 11-5; B., 3-5; T., 2-25. 



i^^'.g'.— Pale-blue ; length, 2-4 ; breadth, I'S. 



Sab. — Both Islands ; Australia. 



" This species frequents the freshwater rivers^ and is very seldom 

 met with on the sea-coast. In other respects its habits do not aj)i)ear 

 to differ in any material point from those of P. brevirostris. Its 

 usual station is a fallen tree or a stump projecting from the water ; 

 and it may frequently be seen spreading its wings to the sun^ and 

 sometimes remaining in that position for a considerable iixae." — 



BULLER. 



159. Phalacrocorax punctatus. Sparrm. 



Spotted Sha&. 

 (Plate XXXV.) 

 Above, grey, with black spots ; tail and thighs, black ; below, lead-grey ; head and neck, 

 black, with a white stripe down each side of the neck; head, crested; legs and feet, flesh- 

 colour. In the young the upper surface is grey and the lower white. 

 L., 30; W., 9; B., 25; T., 2. 

 Hab. — Both Islands. Peculiar to New Zealand. 



" This beautiful representative of the Crested Shags is abundant 

 on the coast of the South Island^ but is seldom met with on the 

 northern side of Cook Strait. I observed a party of three at the 

 mouth of the Waikanae River in January^ 1864 ; two young birds 

 were killed in Wellington Harbour in the winter of 1865 ; and another 

 was shot in the Gulf of Hauraki, near Auckland : and these are the 

 only instances I know of its occurrence in the North Island. 



" It associates in large flocks, and frequents the open sea in the 

 vicinity of the coast, as well as the mouths of estuaries and sounds, 

 subsisting on fish and crustaceans, which it obtains by diving. It is 

 apparently a very inquisitive bird ; for I have often observed a flock 

 of them make up to a steamer going at full speed, and fly round her, 

 sometimes returning a second time to reconnoitre. It breeds on the 

 high shelving rocks on the coast or within the sheltered arms of the 

 sea, the nests being arranged in successive tiers of considerable extent, 

 and as closely grouped together as the form of the rocks in the 

 locality chosen as a breeding-station will admit of. I have never had 

 an opportunity of examining the eggs ; but I understand that three is 

 the usual number."— -Buller. 



