THE SHAG. 269 
World. It is a migratory bird, but is seen on our Coast at all sea- 
sons. It breeds on the sea-shore, selecting for the purpose crags and 
inaccessible places. Their nests are composed of sticks and sea- 
weed. The eggs, generally three in number, are of a whitish colour, 
weighing about two ounces.* 
In Egypt four species of Cormorants are known. The Common 
Cormorant is the size of a Goose ; this species is easily domesticated, 
and is frequently met with in France. 
THE GREEN CORMORANT OR SHAG (Phalacrocorax cristatus). 
This species is in weight about four pounds; the bill is dusky, 
and about four inches in length ; a bare yellow skin is situated along 
the sides of the mouth and chin, the latter speckled with black. 
The whole bird appears black at a little distance, but on nearer 
examination, the head, neck, breast, and rump are of a glossy green. 
The feathers of the upper part of the back, scapulars, and wing 
coverts are pointed, and beautifully glossed with purple, violet, and 
green, each feather being edged with a velvety black ; the under 
part of the body is less glossed with green ; the legs are dusky black ; 
middle ‘claw serrated. 
The female weighs over three pounds; the upper part of her 
body is dark, not so densely glossed as in the male ; but the margin 
of the feathers of the scapulars and wing coverts is black, the under 
part is dusky, with a mixture of grey. 
Such is Colonel Montagu’s description of a pair shot from the 
nest, but they vary in plumage and colour. In habit the Shag is 
strictly a salt-water bird, breeding on our rocky coasts, where it 
builds a nest of stick and sea-weed. They resort to the maritime 
caves of the Hebrides in such vast numbers that they literally cover 
the sea to a considerable extent when on their passage from the 
caves of Liuir and Toehead to their fishing-grounds in the Sound. 
Mr. McGillivray has counted 105 in one flock. ‘This picture Mr. 
McGillivray makes the text for one of his most delightful descrip- 
tions :— 
“There is a large cave,” he says, “on the west coast of Harris, 
celebrated for the number of Shags which reside on it, and so lofty 
that a boat can enter it to a considerable distance without lowering 
*the masts. When we reached the mouth of the cave a considerable 
* Sometimes they roost and build on bushes in the vicinity of fresh-water 
lakes.— Ep, 
