64 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



CASE U, 



THE GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 



Orde7', Pygopodes. Family, Colymbidc?. 



I have met with examples of this splendid bird in 

 the western islands of Scotland, all round the west 

 coast of Mull, particularly in the tidal creeks and sea 

 lochs ; also I found them in the Sound of Barra 

 in the Hebrides. From ornithological books they 

 appear also to visit the south-west coast of England 

 and Irish Channel. 



This grraceful and beautiful bird is the larofest of 

 the three species of Divers which visit Britain. It 

 is really a question which is the handsomer of the 

 two, this or the Black Throated. I confess to 

 preferring the latter, but this is only a matter of 

 taste after all. 



I have often watched these birds coming in with 

 the tide to feed, their principal diet being fish. 

 They glide through the water at a great pace if 

 they choose, without making the slightest disturbance, 

 often submerging themselves so that little more 

 than the head appears above the surface. They 

 disappear, too, without creating- a ripple, and can 

 dive for very long distances — probably half to three- 

 quarters of a mile — without coming to the surface. 

 On hot sunny days it is very pretty to see them 

 sunning themselves — i.e., raising the breast up to the 

 sun, and leaning over to one side — the satin-like gloss 

 on the breast, when the sun's rays catch it, presents 



