366 Ornithological Observations and Reflections in Shetland. 
Certain!}’ for once that anything comes of it, they must dip thus 
scores of times for nothing. Sometimes, however, after the 
head has for sometime been hidden, they will disappear quietly, 
altogether, the little patch of water, that has known them, all 
at once, knowing them no more. Or they will rise a little up, 
and plunge, without, however, leaving the water, but their 
ordinary way of diving is to leap clear of it altogether, even to 
the black upturned feet, which are distinctly seen when one 
witnesses the act from behind. The body, between leap and 
plunge, describes a curve like part of a hoop, so that, were it 
to continue so under water, it would make a complete circle. 
The wings are tightly closed, adding to the smoothness of the 
bird’s whole appearance, nor are they used under water, as 
are those of the Guillemot, Razorbill and Puffin, but only the 
webbed feet.* The Cormorant dives with the same action, 
but it is not as complete or perfect in its course, and I have 
never myself seen one rise entirely out of the water, the heavier 
body hardly, perhaps, allowing of this. The energy may be 
as great, but it does not produce as great results. Thus there 
is not the same appearance of vigour, and the performance, as 
a spectacle, loses. 
It is curious that, along our more northern coasts, the 
Shag greatly exceeds the Common Cormorant in numbers, 
and in the Shetlands has almost supplanted it. Could the 
smaller of the two species be supposed to have descended 
from the larger one, it might seem as though some fundamental 
law, - common to land and sea, had produced both the Shetland 
Cormorant, and the Shetland Pony. This view, however, 
is not entertained by scientific ornithologists, and there may 
be even stronger arguments against it. 
Oct. ist. — Even at this late season, the parent Shag may oc- 
casionally be seen feeding the young one. When one bird presses 
eagerly upon another, rubbing with its breast against the latter’s 
back, and causing it to retreat before it, with an embarrassed or 
deprecating look, this is generally the explanation, though the 
size and general appearance of the two is now so much alike 
that it is not at once obvious. All at once, however, the 
importuned bird, with its back still turned, twists its neck 
around, and, opening its mouth, received into it not only the 
beak, but the whole head of its off-spring, who, with the greatest 
eagerness, tugs what it can get up its throat. The food thus 
*This certainly according to my own observation. Macgillivray, how- 
ever, in his “ British Birds,” states that he has seen them flying with 
outspread wings under the boat, an assertion which has lately been 
repeated. I can only suggest that these were not real birds, but the 
reflection of ones flying overhead. It was a scene of horrid massacre, 
not favourable to calm observation. Otherwise, however, the bird must 
have both methods of progression at its command. 
Naturalist, 
