Oeder PELECANIEOBMES.l 



[Family PHALACKOCOKACIDiE. 



PHALACROCOEAX VARIUS. 



(PIED SHAG.) 



Phalacrocorax varius (Gmelin), Bulier, Birds of New Zealand, vol. ii., p. 149. 



It is a very curious fact in local distribution that this species of Shag is commonly found only at 

 the far north and in the far south. On a visit to Stewart Island in February, 1897, I met with 

 several rookeries of this species in Paterson's Inlet. The birds were rather shy, but I was able to 

 get some by rowing in a boat straight up to the overhanging trees, and, having brought the birds 

 out of the rookery, shooting them as they circled overhead. I obtained two pairs, and as they 

 were in good plumage I converted them all into specimens. In both sexes the high colouring on 

 the soft parts of the face is very conspicuous. In front of the eyes there is a broad, pear-shaped, 

 bare patch of vivid orange, and the rest of the naked membrane enclosing and surrounding the 

 eye is of a bright mazarine-blue, changing to turquoise-green on the eyelids. The irides are clear 

 sea-green. I measured the larger male, with the following result : Extreme length, 33 in. ; extent 

 of wings, 51 in. ; wing from flexure, 12*5 in. ; tail, 6*75 in. ; bill, along the ridge, 3 in. ; along the 

 edge of lower mandible, 4 in. ; tarsus, 2"25 in. ; longest toe and claw, 4 in. The female is similar 

 to the male, but somewhat smaller in all its proportions. 



In one of the rookeries we visited, a beautiful White Heron had taken up its position among 

 the Shags, but it was very shy and took wing long before the other birds had quitted their 

 nests. 



The nest of this Shag is comparatively small for the size of the bird, and is composed of 

 dry twigs laced together, becoming so compact under the pressure of the sitting bird that it is a 

 difficult thing to dislodge it from the tree. The cavity is rather deep, and carefully rounded 

 off on the inside. I could only examine one of them, which the boy, who had partially climbed 

 the tree, succeeded in dislodging with the boat-oar. 



I obtained only two eggs, and these were too much incubated to be blown. They are ovoido- 

 elliptical in shape, but with a distinctly smaller end, measuring 2'37 in. by T37 in. The shell is 

 of a pale-green colour, but this is much obscured by a rough, chalky matter which is pretty evenly 

 distributed over the entire surface. Both of the eggs were much soiled through contact with the 

 birds' feet, and they contained embryos apparently just ready for extrusion. This was at the end 

 of February. 



On my last visit to the Bay of Islands— in September— I was struck with the scantiness of 

 bird-life. Here and there a solitary Sea-gull was to be seen floating on the surface of the water, 

 and as we steamed up to Eussell in the tender we saw a few Pied Shags : that was all. Of the 

 latter there was a young one near the landing-wharf which continued to fish within a few yards 

 of the boat during the whole of our visit, lasting a couple of hours. Timing it with a stop-watch, 

 I found that each dive occupied, as a rule, thirty seconds. 



On glancing over my diary for 1894 I find that I made similar observations on a Shag in 

 another part of the world : — 



"17th February.— Capetown, The bay was alive with the common Sea-gull and a species of 

 Shag (Phalacrocorax capensis). I was interested in watching the fishing operations of the latter. 

 When it dives it springs bodily out of the water and goes down head foremost. I timed the dive 

 With my watch. It generally lasted from a minute to a minute and a half, but in one instance 



