The Shag. 169 



top of the licad and sides of tlie iieek, or a wliite patch on tlie flanks, as the 

 Cormorant does, the Shag; puts on -and then it is one of our handsomest birds — a 

 large green crest curved forward on the top of the head, which is shed, however, 

 as are the nuptial ornaments in the former bird, when the mating season is over, 

 and the labour of incubation has commenced. 



The Shag breeds in the end of April, or tlie beginning of Maj' ; the nest 

 being always placed on a ledge, or a cliff face, or bj- preference in the dusky 

 interior of a cave, if one is to be found in the neighbourhood. The bird is gre- 

 garious ; and the site of the nests, which are nsuall}- placed close together, is 

 easily detected by the white streaks, and patches, of evil smelling excrement, which 

 smear the rocks below them. The nest is rude, flat, or but little hollowed out, 

 and generally large, but as a rule less than the Cormorant ; yet, on the other hand, 

 it may be very scant}'. It is chiefly composed of sea-weed, substantial twigs, 

 (probably picked up at sea), heather stalks, grass, and rushes. 



As a rule the eggs number three to four, but as man}' as eight have been 

 recorded. In this case, it is not improbable that two birds had laid in the same 

 uest. The eggs are smaller than those of P. carbo, and indistinguishable in colour ; 

 but it would be impossible to tell a large Shag's e.gg from a small Cormorant's. 

 The young emerge from the &gg, after twentj'-six to twent5'-eight days incubation, 

 as naked purplish-black squabs, which soon become covered on the back, and sides 

 of the body, with a soft, somewhat sparse, sooty-grey or brownish-black down, 

 which in seven or eight weeks gives place to the full plumage.* Till then, 

 the young birds continue in occupation of their cradle, (sometimes, along with eggs 

 laid at a late period), being assiduously fed, as among the Cormorants, A\-ith fish 

 disgorged by the parents, which the}' voraciously devour. In its first plumage, the 

 Shag has a light breast, a slender bill, and the back brown, with a flush of the 

 green of later moultings. The Shag is supposed to be three or four years of age 

 before reaching full maturity, and its magnificent adult plumage. It moults in 

 the autumn. After this season, the head and neck of the adult is black, richly 

 washed with metallic- green ; the wings and tail duller ; the wing-coverts, shoulders, 

 and back are edged with black ; the eyes are brilliant bronzy-green, and the bare 

 skin of the face, and round the eyes, is black. In the early spring, this handsome 

 plumage becomes even more splendid. In January a crest of re-curved feathers 

 surmounts the top of the head of both sexes, while the bare skin of the face 

 changes to rich yellow. The crest continues during all the courting season ; shortly 

 after nest-building has commenced it begins to be shed, and early in ;May it has 



* Au instance lias been recorded in which the down had in nine days only given place to feathers, and 

 the wijigs had grown. 



