SHAG. 657 



rock, with wings outspread, as if it were drying them after its aquatic 

 gambols. In most of its habits it very closely resembles the Cormorant. 

 In early morning it may be seen emerging from its favourite cave or 

 fissure, speeding low and rapidly over the sea to its feeding-place, looking 

 quite black against the sea or almost white as the sun glistens on its 

 metallic plumage. The flight of the Shag is quick, performed with regular 

 and rapid beats of the wings, and when alighting the bird drops into the 

 water with a great splash. At all times of the year the Shag is more or 

 less gregarious, and sometimes a flock of a hundred or more may be seen 

 fishing in company. It is not quite so shy as the Cormorant, especially 

 when feeding alone ; but it is generally wary enough not to allow any one 

 to come within gunshot, unless when approached in a boat. Like the 

 Gannet, it seems to dislike flying over land, and will go a long way round 

 rather than make a short cut over a narrow strip of beach. No birds 

 excel the Shag in its marvellous powers of diving. Though able to fly 

 well and rapidly, the water is its true haunt, and it always prefers to escape 

 from an enemy by plunging into the sea, where it is safe, than to trust to 

 its wings to carry it out of danger. 



The Shag may often be seen feeding along a rock-bound coast, swim- 

 ming close in-shore where the water is shallow ; it swims well, sitting 

 rather low in the water, with head and neck held up. AVhen it sees a fish 

 in the water below, it springs forward with a graceful curving motion, 

 rises almost out of the water, and then plunges down headlong. Some- 

 times it remains down much longer than at others ; and the captured fish 

 is usually brought to the surface to be eaten. Few fish are more agile in 

 the water than the Shag. It " beats them at their own game,^^ pursuing 

 them through the water, using its wings as well as its feet to aid it in the 

 chase. It sometimes dives to a great distance ; and the fish that it pur- 

 sues are always caught in the bill. The food of the Shag is composed 

 almost exclusively of fish, but doubtless other small marine animals are 

 devoured. The note of this bird, like that of the Cormorant, is a harsh 

 guttural croak, seldom heard except at the nest. 



The Shag is by no means so exclusively a gregarious bird during the 

 breeding-season as the Cormorant ; it may even be doubted whether it is 

 by preference a gregarious bird at all in summer. It is true that large 

 colonies of Shags are to be found ; but the Shag is, if possible, a cave- 

 breeding bird, and wherever caves are to be found on the coast, especially 

 if they are only accessible to a boat, any available ledge where a nest can 

 be placed is occupied by a pair of Shags. Caves of this kind are compara- 

 tively rare, and are consequently much sought after by these birds — so 

 much so, that frequently every available ledge is occupied. On rocky 

 coasts where there are no caves the Shag is generally found breeding in 

 isolated pairs on ledges, and it is only on rocks where suitable ledges are 



