RED-THROATED DIVER. 113 



individuals which have not gone northward to breed, may be 

 met with out at sea in every month of the year. Mr. Gat- 

 combe writes that he remembers two regular invasions of 

 this species after severe cold, the bays, estuaries, and creeks 

 of South Devon and Cornwall being full of these birds. 

 This happened in each case just before spring, when all were 

 in winter or immature plumage ; but some remained until 

 they had assumed the lead-coloured neck and red throat of 

 the nuptial dress, in which they are comparatively rare in 

 the south. This Diver is generally distributed along the 

 south coast, and it is common about the estuary of the 

 Thames, both on the Kentish and Essex sides, where birds 

 which follow the numerous shoals of sprats are in conse- 

 quence called Sprat Loons,* and being frequently caught in 

 the nets, they are commonly exposed for sale in the London 

 markets throughout the winter. On the broads of Norfolk 

 many are seen, but very few are procured, the boat-shooters 

 leaving them unmolested, as the diving powers of the bird 

 only cause loss of time and labour. In May, on the way 

 northwards, and again in September, red-throated examples 

 are occasionally obtained on both sides of our island ; and 

 it is not uncommon to find birds on inland waters, and far 

 up rivers. In Scotland it is abundant, especially on the 

 western side, at all seasons of the year, breeding in Suther- 

 landshire, and in a few other counties, as far south as the 

 Island of Arrau ; and also in the Hebrides, Orkneys, and 

 Shetlands. In the North it is almost universally known as 

 the ' Rain-goose,' and its w^ailing cry is believed to foretell 

 the wet and stormy weather of which it is certainly a frequent 

 accompaniment. At such times the bird generally flies high, 

 and in irregular circles. To the coasts of Ireland this Diver 

 is a regular visitant from autumn to spring, and it appears 



* The term Loon, or Loom, appears to be a modification of the Scandinavian 

 ' Lom ' (Icelandic 'Ldmr'), whicli is probably connected with lame, in reference 

 to the bird's hobbling mode of progressing on land. In Norway the name refers 

 more particularly to the Black-throated Diver; but Nilsson, in his Fauna of 

 Scandinavia, calls all the three species by the name of Lom, distinguishing the 

 Red-throated Diver, on account of its comparatively smaller size, by the name of 

 Sma Lom. 



VOL. IV. Q 



