COLYMBID.^. 715 



THP: RED-THROATED DIVER. 



COLYMBUS SEPTENTRIONALIS, EinilDeUS. 



This species, the smallest member of the genus, is also the most 

 abundant in the British Islands ; immature birds and — in fewer 

 numbers — adults with the white throats characteristic of winter- 

 plumage being found on all our coasts from autumn to spring. In 

 April examples with red throats may be noticed, and these increase 

 in frequency as we proceed northwards ; until in Scotland this 

 Diver is found breeding, in variable though sometimes considerable 

 numbers, in most — if not all— of the Hebrides, and on the main- 

 land from Argyllshire upwards, as well as in the Orkneys and 

 Shetlands. To Ireland it is a regular visitor during the cold 

 season, and, in spite of the egg-collector, a pair or two sometimes 

 manage to rear their young on some of the loughs in Donegal. In 

 pursuit of fish this Diver frequents estuaries and is often met with 

 far up rivers, sometimes occurring on inland waters in winter as well 

 as in summer. 



Northward the Red-throated Diver has been observed up tolat. 82°, 

 while it breeds plentifully in Spitsbergen, and throughout the Arctic 

 and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and America. In Europe 

 its migrations extend to the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian 

 Seas, though the bird is less frequently noticed on inland waters 

 than its congeners ; and Gatke has recorded, under date of 

 December 22nd 1879, a passage of large numbers off Heligoland. 

 Von Heuglin says that he has seen immature examples on the 

 lagoons of Lower Egypt in winter ; at which season the range of 

 this species reaches Japan, China and Formosa in Asia, and Mary- 

 land in America. 



