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been shot, Mr. Collin says, at Flensborg and Frederiksstad. After severe storms it is sometimes 

 seen off the Dutch and Belgian coasts, as also on the northern shores of France; but from 

 Cherbourg to Finisterre it is found breeding ; and it is said to be common on the Portuguese 

 coasts. Colonel Irby states that he found it numerous in the Straits of Gibraltar, and adds that 

 he found it breeding at the island of Peregil, under Apes' Hill, on the African coast. Mr. Howard 

 Saunders writes that he found it breeding on the island 6f Dragonera, and it is common through- 

 out the Mediterranean. Lord Lilford informs me, " it abounds on the south coast and islets 

 off Sardinia ; we found some young in the nests and many swimming, but unable to fly, at the 

 Isola Rossa and about Vacca. It is common also on the coast of Epirus, where I obtained spe- 

 cimens, in June 1875, not far from Gomenizza. We also found it breeding on the rocky islet of 

 Standia, opposite the town of Candia, on Paleocastrizza, in Crete. On the south coast of Cyprus 

 I often observed Shags, but did not obtain any specimens. I never found a crest in any specimen 

 in the Mediterranean. The Crested Green Shag was very common about the Lizard in July 

 1852; and I obtained specimens and eggs there in that month; all these birds had more or less 

 crest. In the Mediterranean, especially on the coast of Sardinia, I noticed that the Shag and 

 common Cormorant (Ph. carlo) breed apart, and do not seem to fish in company." 



I am indebted to Lord Lilford for the loan of his series of Shags from the Mediterranean ; 

 and having carefully compared them with examples from the British Isles, I cannot find any 

 specific distinction. The only difference I see in the series before me is that none of adult 

 examples from the Mediterranean has the crest as in those from the British coast; but other- 

 wise, in coloration and measurements, they are indistinguishable. This being the only difference, 

 I cannot think that the Mediterranean bird can be looked on as specifically separable. 



In Southern Germany the Shag is a very rare bird ; but Messrs. Danford and Harvie-Brown 

 state (Ibis, 1875, p. 431), on the authority of Hen* Buda Adam, that it has occurred in Transyl- 

 vania. Dr. Kruper states that it is resident in Greece and the Cyclades, and he met with it 

 breeding in the latter islands and in the northern Greek islands, where its eggs are deposited 

 very early in the season. Von Nordmann says that it is only occasionally met with in the spring 

 and autumn in the Black Sea. Lord Lilford observed it off the coasts of Asia Minor ; but Canon 

 Tristram did not meet with it in Palestine, nor did Von Heuglin ever come across it on the 

 coasts of North-east Africa. It is, however, resident in North-west Africa, and is found, Loche 

 says, on the Algerian lakes, especially those near the sea. Favier also states {fide Colonel Irby) 

 that it is rare near Tangier, but is found there throughout the whole year. 



In South Africa it is replaced by a very closely allied species, Phalacrocorax ca_pensis 

 (Sparrm.), said to differ in having fourteen instead of twelve rectrices, in being larger in size, and 

 in not having a crest in any stage of plumage. 



In general habits the Shag differs but little, if at all, from the Cormorant, except that it is 

 more seldom seen on fresh water. Like that species it is an expert diver, subsisting on small 

 fish, amongst which it creates great havoc. It is generally seen either seated on some ledge, 

 often in a very exposed position, or else on the water. It flies swiftly, and is very powerful on 

 the wing, but is not seen far from land, and appears to fish in shallower water than the Cor- 

 morant. It breeds on the rocks, either in crevices or else on ledges, usually in colonies, being 

 very gregarious in its habits. The nest is a clumsy, careless structure, composed of seaweeds, 



