CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



CASE 17. 



THE RED THROATED DIVER. 



Order, Pygopodes. Family, Colymbidce. 



I think I must say something by way of preface 

 in connection with these birds. Whilst staying at 

 Castlebay Hotel, in the Island of Barra, which is 

 the southernmost of that string of islands that lie off 

 the mainland of Scotland, about 80 miles west in 

 the Atlantic, and called collectively the Hebrides, I 

 met with a very obliging and useful man — a Govern- 

 ment Official, who, being a naturalist at heart, quite 

 entered into the spirit of what I had to say in 

 regard to my one wish, to make a collection of 

 ornithological specimens for Museum purposes. 



I do not think it necessary to give the name of 

 my official friend, but I may say this, that I 

 obtained from him the promise that he would use 

 his best influence with a gentleman in one of the 

 islands that lay to the north, with whom he was on 

 very friendly terms, and who had power to accord 

 permission. The result of this interview proved my 

 friend to be as good as his word, for shortly after- 

 wards I got a letter to the effect that I had 

 permission to shoot one or two specimens, one of 

 which was the Red Throated Diver. In that letter 

 he recommended to me a gfhillie suitable for the 

 purpose I had in hand, as I should find him quite a 

 reliable man. Just the man! thought I. Armed 

 with permission and such a ghillie I felt rather 



