DIVERS AND GREBES 291 



on his feathers. Skins are easily got, but these are 

 of birds that have not been killed on our waters. I 

 am hoping for one presently that has been killed on 

 the tide. As regards the question of the nesting of 

 this diver on any part of our remote British Isles, 

 opinions differ, scientific ones especially. The bird 

 has been mixed up with the Black-throated Diver, 

 the next on our list, and very naturally so. All 

 birds differ in size ; and as to plumage, especially 

 when it takes two or three years to perfect it, 

 ordinary observers, and, indeed, very keen fowlers, 

 full of good practical knowledge, if without theories, 

 get a little bit puzzled at times. For my own part, 

 I firmly believe this bird has nested on our remote 

 northern isles. I have given in detail, to the best 

 of my ability, the old and young states of plumage, 

 because the question is a very vexed one. Once 

 I was present when a lot of fresh-killed fowl were 

 ticked off as to titles, almost before they were seen. 

 " Yes," the shooter said, who had procured them, 

 " all very well ; you says they are so, but are they ? 

 I think not." 



That very handsome bird, the Black-throated 

 Diver, breeds on the islets of the hill lochs of 

 Scotland, although it is the rarest of the three 

 divers that visit our waters. It has been procured 

 in mature, but more frequently in immature, plumage 

 on the tide and tidal waters. All of the said birds, 

 when fairly on the wing, travel at a great pace, 

 shooting along like feathered meteors, over the water 

 and under it. They are as much at home there, for 



