218 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 

 Family PHALACROCORACID^. Genus PHALACROCORAX. 



SHAG. 



PHALACROCORAX GRACULUS (Linntzus). 

 Single Brooded. Laying season, May and beginning of June. 



BRITISH BREEDING AREA: The Shag is widely and 

 generally dispersed along our entire coast, wherever 

 such is rocky enough, and contains caves and fissures 

 in which the bird may find suitable breeding-places. 

 These are least frequent on our eastern coast-line, and 

 the Shag consequently is there more local and less 

 abundant than in more precipitous areas elsewhere. 



BREEDING HABITS : The Shag is a resident in our 

 islands, but given to much local movement during 

 autumn and winter. Its favourite nesting-haunts are 

 ranges of maritime cliffs which contain caves and 

 fissures, but where such are not available the bird often 

 contents itself with a rocky island, and breeds amongst 

 the boulders near the beach. The Shag is a gregarious 

 bird, but owing to its partiality for a cave or a fissure, 

 the colonies vary considerably in extent, owing to the 

 amount of accommodation afforded. In some cases the 

 community consists of only a few pairs ; in others of 

 considerable numbers ; whilst not unfrequently odd 

 pairs may be met with in spots where there is no room 

 for more. I am of opinion that the Shag, like the 

 Cormorant, pairs for life, yearly frequenting the same 

 nesting-place. The nests are either wedged into some 

 crevice in the sides or roof of, or built on ledges in, an 

 ocean cave ; or in holes in the face of the cliff, some of 

 them so small at the entrance as scarcely to admit the 

 parent birds. Less frequently they are made amongst 

 the strewn rocks and huge boulders near the beach of 



