RED-THROATED DIVER. 115 



feet of the water's edge. In Scotland laying commences by 

 the middle of May, but fresh eggs may be found a month 

 later ; they are two in number, of a deep greenish-brown or 

 brownish-grey, spotted with umber ; average measurements 

 2"75 by 1*8 in. It is rare for more than a single pair to 

 breed on the shores of the same lake ; but Mr. Collett cites 

 a remarkable exception to the rule, for on a small tarn on 

 an island in the Porsangev Fjord, West Finmark, on the 3rd 

 of July, 1872, he discovered along the banks, in the space of 

 half an hour, no less than fifteen nests, each containing two 

 eggs, most of them in an advanced stage of incubation. A 

 male sitting on the eggs of his mate was shot on the 30th 

 of June, from which it appears that the sexes divide their 

 duties. During the breeding-season, while on the wing, 

 they utter frequently a sound like the word kakera, kakera, 

 by which name they are called in many parts of Scandinavia. 

 Its food consists of fish, molluscs, and crustaceans. In 

 its progress under water this species employs its wings as 

 in the act of flying. In diving, both this species and its 

 congeners slightly sink the body, and then, bending the 

 head and neck forward, disappear with a gentle plunge, 

 which scarcely leaves a ripple on the surface of the water. 

 When suddenly disturbed or frightened, a splash is, how- 

 ever, inevitable. 



In the adult bird the beak is of a bluish horn-colour ; 

 the irides red ; the front and top of the head, chin, cheeks, 

 and sides of the neck ash-grey, varied with lighter grey 

 lines and spots ; back of the neck almost black, with short 

 longitudinal lines of white ; the scapulars, wing-coverts, 

 back and upper tail-coverts nearly black, speckled with 

 white ; quill-primaries black, without spots or streaks ; on 

 the throat the red colour forms a conical patch, the point 

 of which is directed upwards, the base resting on the breast, 

 which is white ; all the under surface of the body white ; 

 flanks spotted greyish-black ; legs, toes, and their mem- 

 branes dark brown on one surface, pale wood-brown on the 

 other. 



Male birds measure twenty-four inches in length, and 



