OBSKRVATIONS ON THE NORTHERN DIVER. 95" 



l^oveml^er 23rd., 1838. — Female Diver shot to-day in complete winter 

 livery; edging of upper feathers, light gray. 



November 4th., 1851. — An adult specimen shot to-day was deep in moult, 

 and had most of the dark head and neck feathers displaced and replacing, 

 giving those parts a very ragged appearance, but still retained great part 

 of summer scapulars; back and wing coverts interspersed with many new dark 

 gray feathers, edged a shade lighter, of the plain winter coat; it was starved 

 and thin. Sex not noticed, but supposed a male from its size. 



A pair were seen here on the 8th., and on examination with a good glass 

 on the 17th,, I could distinctly see they were both deep in moult, still 

 retaining much of the summer back and scapulars. Observed a pair again 

 with the glass on the 4th. of December, probably th6 same, and they 

 appeared clean moulted; the throat and front of the neck very white, and the 

 upper parts plain. 



Vernal Change. 



May 5th., 1837. — Observed a pair of Divers in summer livery. 



June 8th. — Divers still here of course in all their brilliancy of summer 

 plumage. 



March 6th., 1838. — A male, weighing eleven pounds, was shot just com- 

 mencing change; a few dark feathers only shewing on the nape, but new 

 feathers appearing all over under the winter coat; three or four shore crabs, 

 denuded of legs, were in the gullet and stomach. 



April 15th. — Observed a pair apparently in complete summer livery. 



May 15th., 1839. — Observed a Diver in complete summer livery. 



June 4th. — Observed a Diver in complete summer livery. 



February 2nd., 1840. — Observed Divers in pairs — plain winter livery. 



May 4th. — Observed Divers in complete summer livery. 



February 12th., 1841. — A. large male Diver was shot to-day in plain 

 winter livery. 



April 28th. — Shot a male Diver, weighing twelve pounds, after a very 

 smart chase with three boats, each firing as they came up. The summer 

 livery was nearly complete, but markings very irregular from unequal gi'owth 

 of the feathers. When picked up it was endeavouring to disgorge a flat fish 

 of which these birds devour great numbers, and of considerable size, pecking 

 them for a long time on the surface of the water till of a fit consistence for 

 swallowing, which seems then to be accomplished without difiiculty. 



Their usual fishing-ground here is over the sand, and about the mouth 

 of the river, where they catch numbers of fiat fish, etc., and shore crabs, the 

 daws of which appear to be carefully picked off" previous to swallowing. 



During the period of both Vernal and Autumnal moult, these birds appear, 

 when not fishing, to be constantly occupied in preening and arranging their 

 plumage, frequently swimming round on their side, with one leg raised high 

 out of the water to put the nether garments in order, and every now and 



