BRITISH BIRDS. 16$ 



the British Isles ; it is a sea bird, and frequents the coast 

 only for breeding purposes. It used to nest freely on St. 

 Kilda. The head and neck are deep black, but on the front 

 -of the latter are two white patches barred longitudinally 

 with black, which is the arrangement of the rest of the 

 upper part of the body, but the black is replaced by grey ; 

 the under parts are white and the flights dark grey. The 

 eye is dull red and the legs, and feet black. Length, 2 feet 

 9 inches. 



Two eggs are laid close to the water's edge ; they are 

 ■dark greenish brown with a few red spots. 



The food consists of all kinds of aquatic creatures, fish 

 included, of which they consume a large quantity. 



They swim very low in the water, but dive and fly well. 



The Black-Throated Diver. — This bird has the bill, the 

 <;hin, and the lower part of the face black, as also a patch 

 ■on the throat ; the rest of the neck is white, finely streaked 

 with black ; the back is black, and the wings dark grey, 

 both barred with white ; breast and under parts white. 

 Both in this species and the last, the legs are placed so far 

 back that on shore the birds adopt a penguin-like attitude. 



The black-throated diver is a more numerous species than 

 the last ; it breeds in Orkney and comes south in winter. It 

 is very shy and wary. Food same as the last. Length, 2 

 feet 4 inches. 



THE AUKS. 



This is the last group of British birds with which we 

 have to deal. The following is an enumeration of the 

 British species : — 



' Family — Alcidce. 



Genus — 1. Alca. A. torda. Razorbill. 



2. Lomvia, L. troile. Guillemot. 



3. Fratercula. F. arctica. Puffin. 



