THe Zootocist—Marcg, 1872. 2985 
were exceedingly tame, and would not rise until a stone was thrown 
at them. 
Razorbills and Guillemots.—Razorbills were particularly plenti- 
ful in Plymouth Sound this winter, which I hope might be accounted 
for by the working of the Sea-bird Act; and I only wish something 
could be done to prevent so many guillemots being destroyed by 
the mackerel fishermen in the spring, for it is really distressing to 
see the numbers they bring on shore in their boats, both dead and 
alive. ‘These unfortunate birds get what is termed “ meshed” in 
the long drift-nets. I have seen full fifty in one boat, many of which 
were alive, and apparently not in the least injured. The living 
birds, I am sorry to say, instead of being set at liberty, are carried 
about by boys in the streets for sale, and allowed to die a miserable 
and lingering death. I have myself, from time to time, bought many 
of these poor birds, just for the pleasure of letting them go; but 
constantly doing so I find rather expensive work. It is very 
strange that, among many hundreds of these guillemots examined 
by me, I have been able to find but three or four of the ringed 
or bridled species, and comparatively very few razorbills are found 
among them. Most of the guillemots caught are in full breeding 
plumage. ; 
Shags.—Shags are becoming far more plentiful on our coast than 
they have been for many years. This species may be easily known 
from the cormorant, when on the water, by its manner of diving: 
when going down it gives a kind of leap, as if to give its body an 
impetus. I have seen dusky grebes do this, especially in a tideway 
or in deep water. 
Northern Diver.—On the 15th of January I watched a northern 
diver, with a pocket telescope, for full ten minutes, struggling with 
an eel or very large pipe-fish, which it was trying to swallow, diving 
with and slfaking it as a dog would a rat. Being held by the 
middle, the fish would writhe and twist itself into all manner of 
shapes, sometimes in the form of a hoop. Once a passing kittiwake 
made a stoop at it, but the wary diver was under water in an 
instant. I have watched a northern diver struggling with a large 
flat-fish for nearly an hour, and which I think it must have got rid 
of at length piecemeal. On the 19th I watched a northern diver, 
which invariably kept its mouth open for some seconds before 
going down, and I have also observed a razorbill do the same 
thing. 
