306 THE BITIDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



about the middle of August, and immature birds have been 

 known to linger through the summer. 



The nest, often on an island in a fresh-water lake, is never 

 far from water, and, as is also the case with the Black-throated, 

 there is a well-flattened pathway from the landing place to the 

 nest, smoothed by the bird's advancing breast, which during 

 the breeding season is stained with peaty soil. The egg 

 (Plate 136) is smaller but similar to that of the Black-throated 

 Diver, the spots on its dark ground being few ; two are often 

 laid, late in May or in June, but single eggs are common. 

 Untidy nests of grass or other vegetation are not infrequent, 

 though the eggs may be in a mere depression in the herbage. 

 It is unsafe to say that the bird is a shy or close sitter ; Miss 

 Turner could do nothing with one nervous female which she 

 tried to photograph, but the bird depicted (Plate 128) allowed 

 her to stand within two feet and almost to touch it. Sitting 

 birds, if scared by a passing Raven or Peregrine, crouch on 

 the nest with head and neck extended, and are wonderfully 

 inconspicuous in this position. The nestling, clad in thick 

 sooty brown down, is often carried on the parent's back. 



The plumage of the adult bird in summer is singularly 

 beautiful ; its graceful movements show off the white and black 

 lines on the back of the sinuous neck. The head and neck are 

 soft pale blue-grey, streaked on the crown and nape ; the throat 

 is red ; the back and wings are ashy grey, slightly spotted with 

 white, and the under parts are white. The bill is black, the 

 legs are greenish black, and the irides ruby-red. In winter the 

 chin, lower part of the face, and front of the neck, as well as 

 the under parts, are white, and the upper parts are a browner 

 grey, profusely speckled with white. The bill is horn, almost 

 white. Immature birds have a few whitish streaks and obscure 

 spots, and pale edges to the feathers of the greyish brown 

 mantle ; their throats and flanks are often mottled with grey. 

 Length, 25 ins. Wing, 11 ins. Tarsus, 2'6 ins. 



