GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 97 



par excellence, since they possess this power in a most 

 marked and perfect degree. Except during their breeding- 

 season all the Divers live chiefly at sea, where they obtain 

 their living by following or keeping in the vicinity of shoals 

 of herrings, sprats, and other species of fishes of moderate 

 size, which they catch with great ease and certainty while 

 diving. They remain under water a very considerable time 

 without any apparent inconvenience, and have been taken, 

 while thus submerged, by a baited hook, and in the meshes 

 of nets. 



Of these three, the Great Northern Diver, frequently 

 called the Immer — or Ember — Goose, is the largest in size, 

 and is of regular occurrence in our waters ; but young birds 

 are much commoner than matured examples. The former 

 come closer to the shore and are more easily obtained ; but 

 the old birds keep, as a rule, to the open portions of the 

 sea, and even when seen are so wary that they seldom allow 

 of a near approach. There are, however, exceptions ; for 

 instance, in the winter of 1854 an adult Northern Diver 

 unexpectedly made its appearance in the very middle of the 

 inland county of Wiltshire, where it was first observed 

 swimming majestically to and fro on a pond at Spye Park, 

 and was afterwards caught in a ditch ; and other occurrences 

 of a similar nature are on record. 



This species is sometimes very abundant on the coasts of 

 Cornwall and Devon, and throughout the open sea at the 

 mouth of the Channel ; adults being more frequently ob- 

 served there than in the narrower waters, or on the east 

 coast, Mr. Gatcombe informs the Editor that on one occa- 

 sion, towards the end of winter, he counted no less than 

 thirty birds, apparently in pairs, in Plymouth Sound ; and 

 during the winter of 1874-75 they were unusually numerous. 

 In October, and again in spring, birds in full breeding-dress 

 are sometimes observed on the coasts of England ; and in 

 Scotland, especially on the western side, they are not un- 

 frequent. Mr. K. Gray says that this Diver is abundant in 

 the Outer Hebrides at all seasons of the year, except the 

 month of July, and a few remain in Benbecula all the 



VOL. IV. 



