36 BRITISH BIRDS 



One curious circumstance connected with this bird is 

 the power it possesses of walking at the bottom of the 

 water ; true, this has been denied, but as the reason given 

 was, that in the opinion of the person who made it such 

 a feat was impossible, the objection can only be taken for 

 what it is worth. 



THE DIVERS. 



The Black-Throated Diver. 



This is not unlike the Great Northern Diver, but is smaller, 

 and has a grey head and neck ; the chin and throat, however, 

 are black, with a grey patch between. As in the case of 

 the Great Northern Diver, the legs are placed very far 

 back, and when the bird is seen sitting on the shore it has 

 very much the attitude and appearance of a Penguin. 



The Great Northern Diver. 



This bird is also called the Imber, Great Doucker, 

 and Rijig-necked Diver. It is a northern species and is 

 practically extinct in Britain, though in Orkney it is still 

 occasionally seen, and is believed to breed there, or to 

 have done so within the last few years. 



It is a shy bird, but nevertheless quite capable of being 

 preserved in captivity if supplied with suitable food, that 

 is to say fish, of which it consumes an immense quantity, 

 being a large bird: it attains to a weight of from 12 to 14 

 pounds, and measures about 2\ feet or a little more in 

 length. The beak is about 3 inches long and of a dark 

 horn colour. The head and neck are black, but the 

 latter part is marked with black and white spots, one at 

 the top in front, and two lower down, one on each side; 

 the back of the neck, back, wings and rump are thickly 

 spotted with round white spots on a black ground; the 

 under parts are white. The eggs, two or three in number, 

 are brownish green with a few spots of reddish purple ; both 

 sexes share the task of incubation, which lasts for 8 days, 

 the young taking to the water soon after being hatched. 



