File:Hand-book to the birds of Great Britain (1894) (14747102641).jpg

Identifier: handbooktobirdso02shar (find matches)
Title: Hand-book to the birds of Great Britain
Year: 1894 (1890s)
Authors: Sharpe, Richard Bowdler, 1847-1909
Subjects: Birds -- Great Britain
Publisher: London, Allen
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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ting itsfood; but in the water it is a splendid swimmer and diver,employing its great webbed feet to singular advantage, andusing its stiftened tail as a rudder to steer itself with, butnot making much use of its wings. Although generally nest-ing in company, at other times of the year Cormorants arefound on inland rivers, and many are thus obtained during thewinter, most of these individuals being young birds, thoughold ones not unfrequently occur One which was shot nearCookham, when I was a boy, was observed for several daysswimming in the Thames, with its body submerged and onlyits head .nd neck protruding out of the water. Nest.—A very rough structure of seaweed or sticks, which isadded to year by year in places where the birds are allowedto nest without interference. The Cormorant seems to havesome idea of decorating its nest, for Mr. Doncaster informedMr. Seebohm that he found one in which the birds had pulleda long spike of foxglove and had twisted it round the nest as n . Ml
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THE CORMORANTS AND SHAGS. 215 a lining. There is also generally a lining of fresh green leavesof sea-parsley or some other plant, according to Mr. Seebohm. Eggs.—Two or three in number. The ground-colour isgreen, but this is generally obscured by a chalky-white cover-ing, which can be scraped off. Axis, 2-4-2-8 inches; diam.,I-5-I75- II. THE SHAG. PHALACROCORAX GRACULUS. Fekcanusgraculus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 217 (1766). Phalacrocorax graadus, Macg. Br. B. v. p. 392 (1852); Dresser,B. Eur. vi. p. 163, pi. 389 (1879); B. O. U. List Br. B.p. 106 (1883); Saunders, ed. Yarr. Br. B. iv. p. 151(1884); Seebohm, Br. B. iii. p. 656 (1885); Saunders,Man. Br. B. p. 351 (1889) ; Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B. partxxii. (1892). (Plate LIl.) Adult Male.—General colour above and below black, with abottle green or oily-green gloss, all the feathers margined withvelvety-black on the mantle, scapulars, and wing-coverts, theseparts having also a bronzy reflection; tail-feathers twelve; inside of mouth and s

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