3^5 
ORNITHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS AND 
REFLECTIONS IN SHETLAND.* 
EDMUND SELOUS. 
■ ( Continued from page jjy). 
Sept. 28th. — Started for the network of lochs, the scene 
of my last year’s observations on the parental habits of the 
Red-Throated Diver. I found the ground no more difficult 
to get over, on account of the late rains (it poured a good part 
of yesterday, and the whole of last night), and hardly more 
swampy, though wetter, than it was_ then during an unpre- 
cedentedly fine summer. The Divers, however, had entirely 
left the lochs. I saw two birds indeed which might possibly 
have been of that species, but which, I think, were Mergansers, 
flying rapidly over the largest of them, but no more. Every 
loch was deserted and lifeless. I then walked on, to the sea, 
but here, too, I saw no sign of them. The loch where I had 
watched the pair that were the principal objects of my study 
I easily found again, owing to some large stones, one particularly 
of an elongated shape which I had set up on the summit of an 
adjoining hill, and where they still remained. The old nest 
was still easily distinguishable, and I found that its distance 
from the water was not above six feet — a good deal less than 
I had imagined. 
Sept. 29th. — Walked to the point beyond, but all I found 
to do was to watch the waves and the Shags. There is another 
and conclusive reason why the cormorantic action of holding the 
wings extended can have nothing to do with any idea of drying 
them, on the bird’s part, which is that it is often performed in 
the water. Here, too, the wings are generally shaken as a 
preliminary, and the bird then rides on the waves, holding them 
exactly in the same way as it does when standing on the rocks, 
which gives it a peculiar heraldic appearance that is very 
striking — it would make a good device on a signet ring. As 
is well-known, it used to be supposed (and the belief may still 
linger among authorities) that the Ostrich, in running, spread 
its wings to catch the wind, tacking when this was against it. 
That these Shags spread theirs in order to sail by them seems 
a much more reasonable deduction ; sailing is proper to the 
water, and in it the whole art would be naturally included. 
However, I am doubtful even here. At any rate, I have seen 
no evidence of such an intention, though, one would think, it 
must sometimes happen by chance. 
Whilst swimming, Shags ceaselessly, at short intervals, 
dip their heads under the water. I suppose they peer down 
after fish, or if this is not always their object, then the action 
may have become a habit, whether they are hungry or not. 
1914 Dec. i. 
