GREBES AND DIVERS 409 



earlier in Scotland, where my brother Alfred found a 

 nest on May 17th (1883), in the Outer Hebrides. 



The Great Northern diver appears on this coast every 

 winter, but in small numbers. A pair shot by myself in 

 January, measured as follows : — 



The male (shot January 19th) still retained a con- 

 siderable proportion of the spotted plumage of the 

 previous summer on wings and coverts : but back and 

 neck were in full winter-dress. The gullet contained 

 several fair-sized flounders. The beak in mid-winter is 

 pale horn — in one specimen approaching - ivory-colour. 



Grebes and divers vary notably in numbers in different 

 winters. One year, both are numerous ; in another, one 

 scarce sees half-a-dozen all the season. Though fishing 

 day by day in the tide-channels, they are never seen to go 

 ashore. Both are, as a rule, solitary : though occasionally 

 a few grebes may associate together. 



Little Auk.' — Some winters this oceanic species 

 appears in considerable numbers. Thus in 1879, we 

 observed many, and on January 7th I shot a female at 

 Holy Island, weight 4^ oz. They swim very deep and 

 "by the stern," but fly fast: in contrast with the great 

 auk! 



When met with "in soundings," the little auk is 

 usually in a bad way and may then often be picked up by 

 hand, while others are found, dead or dying, far inland. 

 One picked up dead at Yetholm on March 6th had the 

 whole throat and breast a dull slate-blue — a preparatory 



