14 BRITAIN'S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 



deal with is probably the Red-throated Diver, the smallest 

 of the four species built on these antiquated lines. It 

 is also widely known as the 'Rain Goose,'' its harsh, 

 discordant notes being popularly supposed to foretell rain. 

 Leaving aside the more deeply seated characteristics which 

 lead anatomists to assign to the Loons a lowly place in 

 the scale of bird evolution, we may find in their more 

 obvious traits much that is primitive and archaic. On 

 land a Loon is the most awkward of birds ; it rarely 

 stands properly upright ; * it can only waddle clumsily 

 from place to place, or, more commonly, push itself along 

 the ground with its feet. But this matters little, for 

 the Loon has no need to go on land except to its nest, 

 and that is almost always at the water''s edge. On the 

 wing it is a strong flyer, but it reminds one of a primi- 

 tive aeroplane — it has no great control over its move- 

 ments. In starting, some time is taken in getting up 

 sufficient ' way ' to rise ; in the air, flight is rapid and 

 powerful enough, but maintained only by continuous and 

 regular propulsion, with an occasional glide on the down- 

 grade. Changes of level are only gradually made ; changes 

 of direction are effected by wide curves. Sharp turnings, 

 soaring, and hovering are alike impossible, and considerable 

 trouble and risk are involved in the process of alighting. 

 All the evolutions require space. 



The Diver"'s method of alighting is indeed peculiar. At 

 sea it will come down by a long gradient — miles long, if 

 from a great height. In narrow waters, however, the task 

 is more difficult. A long descent in a wide spiral may first 

 be resorted to ; but the final drop is often a headlong plunge, 

 'accompanied by a noise for which those who have heard 

 it will agree that thundering is too weak an epithet,' till, 



* To display its plumage properly, the bird in the accompanying 

 plate has been depicted in this rather unusual attitude. 



