368 Ornithological Observations and Reflections in Shetland. 
Scotch and not Shetland oats, and he says, moreover, that the 
Gulls eat the former kind and reject the latter. Of this he 
had an interesting proof, for, by some accident the two got 
mixed up in one of his sheaves. This, one day, he saw quite 
covered with Gulls, and, on coming to it, found that only the 
Scotch oats had been taken by them. The Scotch oats are 
considered to be the best, but my landlord does not endorse 
this view, and, if anything, prefers the Shetland. This makes 
the discrimination of the Gulls (unblunted, we may suppose, 
by national predilection), all the more remarkable, and seems 
good evidence that the sense of taste in birds, is highly devel- 
oped. The deft scratching of the head or neck, with the foot, 
is another accustomed action with Shags, as they sit on the 
rocks. Looking down, from a height, on to any assembly of 
them, one may have a full view of a bird’s chin, turned entirely 
upwards, its head, as a matter of toilette convenience, being 
bent down close to the rock, to be scratched. The bird having 
a large, curiously shaped and completely webbed foot, its 
quick and neat little motion, when used for this purpose, is 
very nice to see. The flapping of the wings is almost as much 
a feature with these Shags as the holding of them out. Great 
energy often enters into this action which may last for quite a 
time. This is especially the case towards the end when the 
strength and vigour with which they are moved is such that 
quite a special character is given to this last stage of the 
performance. The sensation imparted must needs be a very 
pleasurable one, and I know of no other bird that seems to 
enjoy it so much. 
It is common to see a Gull or two standing amidst these 
Shag gatherings — often on their outskirts — and a pair of 
Great Blackbacks, more especially, adds greatly to their 
picturesqueness. But though there is little or no hostility 
between the two species, yet they do not much affect each other’s 
society, but keep, for the most part, apart. I have, indeed, 
seen a Herring Gull standing just on the verge both of the 
rock and of such an assembly, put to sudden flight over it 
by an aggresive movement on the part of the Shag nearest him. 
The same fate, however, might have overtaken him, had he 
been a Shag himself, or, perhaps, had the Shag been a Gull, 
though of this I am more doubtful. But birds sometimes act 
as though possessing the rudiments of a sense of humour, 
which often consists in some sudden antithesis or incongruity. 
It was the Gull’s position just on the edge of the precipice, 
which apparently suggested to his neighbour the propriety of 
sending him over it — a propriety which, with enlarging facul- 
ties, would be seen as fun. Indeed, I have often wondered 
whether the god-like faculty of humour, as, in its highest 
human developments, we may well call it, did not originate 
Naturalist, 
