252 THE BIRDS OF IONA AND MULL. 



embosomed creek, a party of some half-dozen, including one splendid 

 male. At one time they float upon their own reflections imaged in the 

 dark blue water ; then, as if by word of command, they all leap down 

 together into the depths below. After a minute's interval, up they 

 pop to the surface, emerging with great buoyancy. They are now a 

 little scattered, so they converge upon their gallant admiral, whose 

 bright, parti-coloured plumage is further set off" by the rich, soft shades 

 of chestnut which form their own colouring. They advance with great 

 swiftness through the waters, without any visible effort or motion of 

 any part of the body. The long, slender neck is kept erect and motion- 

 less, except to turn the head and long coral bill gracefully round, as the 

 bird looks about, suspicious of lurking danger. 



The Divers. 

 We are best acquainted with the divers in their sombre and 

 unattractive winter plumage, in which they are known as the loon, 

 the ember or immer goose, the rain goose, the lough diver, &c. All 

 through the winter months they are frequently to be met with on our 

 seas, where their great bulk forms a conspicuous feature. In their 

 beautiful breeding dress they are rarely seen — the black-throat seldom 

 or never, the red-throat but seldom, but the great northern not un- 

 frequently. 



Thk Black-throated Diver and Red-throated Diver. 



Gaelic, Learg, which also means the sea or surface of the sea. The same word, 

 however, means a sloping, green field or eminence, which, in the names of 

 places, is Anglicised into Largs, Larrigs, Largie, &c. The same name is 

 sometimes applied to the large black cormorant. Norse, Stor-loni and the 

 Smii-loni — the great and lesser loon. 



We sometimes shoot these when diving near the shore. The very 

 long time they remain down makes it easy to take a long run down to 

 them, though they often rise a long way out of shot. 



The Great Northern Diver. 



Gaelic, Bun-bhuachaille — the herdsman of the deep or bottom, which, among the 



men of the mainland (about Lochgilphead), is rendered mur-bhuaebaille — 



the herdsman of the sea. To English ideas the former name woidd be 



written boon-ya-voo-achail. Norse, Is-loni — ice loon. 



This splendid inhabitant of the deep is by no means uncommon 



around our isles through winter, and whenever we meet him we imme- 



