EARLY SPRING IN SOUTH DEVON 61 



and beach pools they stand gently swaying from side 

 to side ; as their webbed feet mark time in the sand they 

 sink until their snowy breasts are awash. Disturbed, 

 worms and molluscs struggle to the surface, seeking safety 

 as the worms strive to avoid a spade; but there is no 

 safety for them, for a yellow orange-splashed bill awaits 

 their appearance. 



In Tor Bay is the well-named Shag Rock. Here, and 

 along the coast wherever stack or rock gives foothold, the 

 abundant shags stood drying outspread wings. Surely 

 that ancient herald who first conceived the spread-eagle 

 had cormorant or shag in his mind's eye. One day a 

 dozen stood together on the Shag Rock, and not a cor- 

 morant was visible in the Bay ; yet it has been affirmed that 

 the larger bird is commoner in Devon than the smaller, 

 greener species with the perky upturned crest. Con- 

 spicuous as is the shag when standing in heraldic pose, it 

 is a cautious fowl; from its rocky look-out it can sight 

 danger, and if a gunner approaches the broad wings in 

 deliberate but powerful strokes soon bear it out of range. 

 It is when feeding that it shows special wisdom. The 

 cormorants are expert divers, usuaUy going under after 

 a graceful upward spring, so as to dive deep to where they 

 can chase scared fish amongst the tangle-clad rocks; but 

 whilst beneath the surface an enemy may have approached, 

 for the submarine hunt is often lengthy. Instead of 

 bobbing up to the surface like a diving duck, the careful 

 shag first exposes head and neck alone, keeping its body 

 submerged; with bill uplifted at an angle it peers round 

 with emerald eye before allowing its back to show. How 

 it maintains its body in that position, adjusting its 

 specific gravity, has never been explained. Seldom has 

 the physicist sufficient interest in ornithology, or the 

 biologist in physics, to induce him to investigate the 

 problem. 



