RED-THROATED DIVER. 305 



level of the long axis of the body. The wings are sometimes, 

 but not always, used under water, and the speed and skill 

 when chasing fish is little inferior to that of more powerful 

 divers. I have not seen the bird stop under water for more 

 than thirty seconds, but Mr. P. H. Bahr records dives of a 

 minute and a half. Fish are its chief food, though crustaceans 

 and other aquatic animals are eaten ; large numbers of 

 medium-sized fish have been found in the gullet. All the divers 

 have one habit, which is also common to the Cormorant ; as 

 they swim on the surface they sink the head below, and thus 

 avoid the confusion of surface ripples. When they sight the 

 prey — Dr. F. Ward thinks they see it flash when turning — they 

 at once dive and follow it. 



The usual barking kark^ kark, of the "Rain-Goose," a call 

 supposed to foretell bad weather, is distinct from other diver 

 notes, but it has a loud wailing cry, and a guttural note of 

 alarm. The Red-throated, more frequently than other divers, 

 assumes the upright pose, though its normal method of progres- 

 sion on land is with breast to ground. Mr. Caton Haigh saw 

 one walk upright, and another scuttled away in an almost 

 upright position when disturbed by Mr. G. Bolam. One of 

 Mr. Bahr's photographs shows a bird waddling to the nest, 

 carrying the body inclined forward and the snaky neck curved. 

 Miss Haviland was astonished with the speed of a downy 

 nestling, which propelled itself on its breast with rapid jerks 

 of its legs, but also used its wings as supports ; thus the normal 

 prone position is adopted by the young. Miss Turner saw one 

 bird raise itself at the edge of the water before plunging in, and 

 it frequently stands when turning the eggs. The largest 

 numbers pass northward in April and May, and even in March 

 some have advanced far towards nuptial dress. The date of 

 the assumption of summer or winter plumage is irregular ; even 

 late in October many still show red on the throat. In June 

 and July few remain otf the English shores, but some appear 



Series J I. X 



