BIRDS OF ICELAND 135 



it persistently, firing at any range the moment it emerges, 

 and thus exhausting it by making it dive before it has 

 replenished its reserve of air. Sometimes it gives you 

 a good overhead chance, as it flies from one lake to 

 another for feeding purposes. 



As well as the characteristic laugh, usually heard 

 when the bird is on the wing, this Diver utters a 

 hoarse croak on the water when its nest is approached. 



Herra Grondal informed me that Dr. Riemschneider 

 of Dorpat has reported the Black-throated Diver 

 {C. ardicus, L.) as seen by him on Myvatn. It is a 

 pretty abundant breeder on the hill-tarns of Norway, 

 and not very unlikely, therefore, to occur in Iceland ; 

 but, as it was not shot, and as it very much resembles 

 the present species, I hardly like to admit it to the 

 list as yet. It is rather smaller than the Great 

 Northern (length about 26 inches, wing 11 J inches), 

 and has a light-grey head and hind neck with a black 

 chin and throat in summer, and no transverse bars on 

 the latter as in the present species. 



Colymbus septentrionalis, Linn. 

 Red-throated Diver. 



Native name : ' Lomur ' (Loom), dating back to the 

 Younger Edda ; ' J)erri-kraka.' 



Resident and pretty common, breeding on many 

 tarns and most lakes, and passing the winter on the 

 sea, coming more into the fjords and near the mouths 

 of rivers than the last species does. 



