170 GBEEtf SHANK. 



September and October, on their way southwards; one was 

 killed in Sanday, October 2nd., 1830. One in Haddingtonshire, 

 at Lennoxlove, 1824. 



They are met with on the sea-shore, but also on the banks 

 of rivers, lakes, and ponds, both in flat and hilly countries. 

 With us, individuals have occasionally been met with inland. 

 One was shot near Ascot Heath; one near Grodalming, in 

 Surrey. Three or four were seen near Carlisle, about Brugh 

 and Rockliff, in August, 1832; and two of them, a young 

 male and female, were procured on the 25th.; one also on 

 the River Eden earlier in the same month. Others in 

 Oxfordshire, near Bampton, on the River Isis, and near 

 Brighthampton. A few stay to breed. One was shot by the 

 River Thames, near Walton, in Surrey, in the month of June. 

 In Scotland one was shot in May, and the young have been 

 seen on the banks of Loch Awe, in July. 



They move northwards in April, and southwards in October 

 or November. Some remain in the wilder districts of Scotland 

 during the summer, and rear their brood; as for instance, in 

 Sutherlandshire, near Tongue and Scourie, Loch Naver and 

 Loch Laighall. Mr. Selby has met with the young on Loch 

 Awe, in July, and has known an adult bird killed in May. 

 Sir William Jardine has known others on the banks of the 

 Tweed, between Kelso and Coldstream, a reach of the river I 

 well remember for salmon-fishing exploits. 



They are extremely shy and vigilant, and rise on the 

 slightest alarm, especially when they have young, wheeling 

 round, now near to the nest, and now sweeping farther off 

 with loud cries, and every now and then perhaps alighting 

 and still repeating them. They prefer open districts, such 

 affording opportunities of keeping a good look-out; and choose 

 sluggish streams and still waters to more rapid ones. In 

 searching for food they move leisurely in a horizontal position, 

 and wade deep. They can swim and dive well, and advance 

 under the water with movements of their wings. In confine- 

 ment they soon become tame. They are sociable in their 

 habits, both among themselves and with other kinds. 



These birds occasionally perch on trees. They fly with the 

 wings not widely stretched, the head advanced in front, and 

 the legs behind. They alight in a slanting direction, and 

 often so swiftly that they have to break the fall, and skim 

 a short distance with the full expanse of the pinions. 



Their 'Commissariat department' is supplied with small fish, 



