The Zoologist — Jone, 1874. 4017 



females labour in building their homes, which are often con- 

 structed of Algae, placed on a foundation of sticks. We have 

 seen the birds carrying quite a large bunch of material at a 

 time, so large and cumbersome the load that they have now 

 and then been unable to effect a landing at the first attempt; 

 a wide circuit has enabled them lo place their burthen on the 

 spot where the nest was to be raised. As in the case of birds 

 in many other and far-removed genera, the constructive faculty 

 appears most developed in the female: we have often noticed her 

 sitting on the nest carefully and deftly arranging the tufts of material 

 brought by her mate, some portion of which is collected from a great 

 distance. We once saw, in a strong N.E. breeze, a fine bird beating 

 out of Port Cooper, with a large piece of stick carried fore and aft. 

 When the nest is completed it may be about five inches high and 

 about fourteen inches across ; it soon becomes foul and loathsome 

 (a mass of writhing maggots), with a most horrible stench. 



Three eggs are laid, measuring in length two inches four lines, 

 in width one inch six lines, of greenish white, more or less clouded 

 with chalky white. In a brief space they become mottled and 

 stained to an extent that quite alters their character: these marks 

 are no doubt occasioned by the incubating bird sometimes feeding 

 at home, as bloody smears on the eggs are not otherwise to be 

 accounted for, unless thus painted by the fresh fish-blood on the 

 bird's mandibles when the eggs are duly turned in the nest. The 

 labour of incubation is fairly shared by each sex, as we have noticed 

 that when one bird has left its charge its mate has immediately 

 supplied its place ; when alarmed on her nest the shag utters a low 

 note, rapidly opening and closing the mandibles, which gives a 

 peculiar throbbing appearance to the cheek. From the middle of 

 October the breeding-season extends through the earlier summer 

 months. 



The embryo is at first flesh-coloured, and gradually assumes a 

 darker hue on its upper surface till it reaches a dull slate-colour; 

 the mandibles light horn-colour, darkest at the extremities, gular 

 pouch well developed. The young, blind when hatched, is of a 

 lead-colour, darkish about the eyes and along the centre of the 

 back; mandibles and gular pouch flesh-colour; tips of mandibles 

 pinkish ; tarsi lighter than the rest of the body ; tongue very small ; 

 pectinated apparatus of the middle claw undeveloped ; the entire 

 body naked, being utterly devoid of down or feather. The first 



