BIRDS OF THE SEASHORE 99 



Food. Fish exclusively. 



Nest. April or May. One brood. 



Site. On some rocky ledge overlooking the sea, and 

 usually rather inaccessible. 



Materials. Sticks and seaweed. 



Eggs. Three to five. Pale greenish blue underground, 

 thickly encrusted with a white chalky substance. In 

 shape long and narrow, and rather small for the bird's 

 size. 



SHAG (Phalacrocorax graculus). 



More local than the last, but met with abundantly 

 in Scotland, Isle of Man, Fame Islands, Channel Islands, 

 and Ireland. 



Haunts. Rocky ledges of the sea-coast. More essen- 

 tially a marine species than the last. 



Observation. Distinguish from Cormorant by greener 

 plumage and absence of white throat and thigh patch. 



Plumage. Bare skin of face yellow. General plumage 

 dark green, glossed with purple and bronze. The crest 

 is assumed just before the breeding season, after which 

 it is lost. Bill black. Legs black. Length 27 in. 

 Female similar, but smaller. Young, brownish green 

 above, and mottled with brown below. Nestling, at 

 first nude, then covered with blackish brown down. 



Language. A harsh " kroak-kraik-kroak." 



Habits. Generally like the last. 



Food. Fish. 



Ntf. May. 



Site. In caves or clefts of rocks, &c. 



Materials. Sticks, seaweed, &c. 



Eggs. Three to five. Precisely similar to last, but 

 slightly smaller. 



STORM-PETREL (Procellaria fielagica). 

 Met with fairly commonly on the open seas all round 

 our coasts throughout the year. It breeds in the Channel 



