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shaded by a group of luxuriant tree-ferns [Bicksonia squarrosa) growing up from the very edge of the 
water, their fronds almost interlaced by their close contact and their stems laden with the withered 
growth of a former season, hanging around them like a well-wrapped Maori toga. Seated in this cool 
and enchanting spot, and listening to the delicious song of the Zosteroj>s, I gazed long and with 
insatiable delight on the Huka Falls ; and not the least interesting feature to me was this, that a 
dozen or more of these little Shags (or “ River Crows ” as they are sometimes called) kept passing 
and repassing through the misty spray, and up and down the surging “ sluice-box,” apparently for the 
sheer delight of the thing, or else in silent wonderment. 
On another occasion I was standing, with a party of tourists, admiring the beauties of the 
Wairere waterfall near the Taheke. In this unique fall the whole volume of water plunges over two 
ledges in succession, increasing its velocity at the lower one, and forming in the stream below a swirl 
of considerable force. And the effect is greatly heightened by the peculiar situation of the waterfell, 
both sides being closed in by dense overhanging woods, the undergrowth being so luxuriant that the 
pendent ferns dip their waving fronds in foaming water. While standing at the very edge of the 
lower bank, holding on to a convenient branch and gazing on the beautiful scene, a White-throated 
Shag swept past us, within a yard or two, and, passing the fall, disappeared in the woods bejond. I 
mention this in illustration of the habits of this bird, which seems to be quite as much at home in 
woodland stream as on the sea-shore. 
Dr. Finsch says (Trans. N.-Z. Inst. vol. vii. p. 235) Although omitted in Dr. Buller’s work 
there can be no doubt that Mr. Peale collected a Shag in the Bay of Islands, whicn, like Giaucalus 
chalconotu^. Gray, has not yet been observed since. This species, G. purpuragida, Peale, seems to 
be very near if not identical with G. stictoceplicdus, ^'^.=sulciTOstris, Brandt. ^ 
I still omit Phalacrocorax purqniragula from our list, because I feel persuaded that Peale s 
specimen was only P. brevirostris in the black garb of immaturity. The Australian P. stictocej)halus, 
with which Dr. Finsch is inclined to unite it, has a very close resemblance to the youiig of our bird, 
being not much larger, and only distinguishable by its blackish-brown bill, a brighter lustre in its 
dark plumage, and the presence on each side of the head of numerous narrow linear specks of white. 
Large numbers are sometimes congregated in their roosting-place ; and when disturbed or alarmed 
they rise into the air simultaneously and course about in a confused manner, resembling at a distance 
a flight of Rooks. 
On one occasion I visited their roosting-place in the evening in order to watch theii behaviour 
on assembling. On the banks of the Rangitikei river I found a number of them crowding together 
on the branches of a small kahikatea tree overhanging the water, and about twenty moie perfoiming 
gyrations high in the air, apparently surveying the ground before descending to roost for the night. 
Those already on the branches were very shy, and on our approach slipped away on the wing 
noiselessly and with the swiftness of an arrow. They do not breed in these roosting-places, but retire 
further up the streams, where they are less likely to be molested. 
One of my brothers visited a breeding-place in the centre of a large “ negro-head swamp in the 
South Island, but the odour was so intolerable that he could not be induced to go there again. He 
found some hundreds of these Shags breeding together in a colony, the nests being placed close 
together on the clumps of ‘ ‘ negro-head ” standing out of the water. 
Like the Black Sea-Shag, they retire to the “ negro-head ” swamps and to the lakes of the interior 
for the purpose of breeding, establishing themselves in large colonies, and returning to the same 
shaggery year after year. The low scrub fringing the shores of a lake or lagoon is the site usually 
selected ; and the nests are constructed of broken twigs, dry flags, and rushes loosely placed together 
to the thickness of several inches, with sometimes an upper layer of soft dry grass. 
In the Lake district there are shaggeries of considerable magnitude which are much valued 
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