130 PODICIPEDID^. 



reach the extreme northern limit of its range in that portion 

 of Denmark. In the rest of Europe it occurs as a migrant, 

 becoming rare in the south, and in the Mediterranean. In 

 winter it has been found on the elevated lakes of Persia ; 

 and Severtzoff says that it breeds in Turkestan. Its range 

 extends across Siberia to Japan ; and Swinhoe obtained an 

 example at Amoy in China. It breeds in British North 

 America, where Richardson says it is very common in the 

 Fur countries, frequenting every lake with grassy borders, 

 and in the northern portions of the United States ; and in 

 winter it is generally distributed further south ; stragglers — 

 one of which is now in Canon Tristram's collection — having 

 been known to visit the Bermudas (Zool. 1877, p. 492). A 

 few young birds are said by Reinhardt to have been obtained 

 in the southern part of Greenland. In Iceland, according 

 to Professor Newton, it is very generally distributed on lakes 

 throughout the western half, and probably throughout the 

 whole of the island ; arriving about the same time as the 

 Red-throated Diver, and, after breeding, leaving in the 

 autumn. 



The late Mr. Proctor, subcurator of the Durham Univer- 

 sity Museum, who visited Iceland in the summer of 1837, 

 observed that " this bird frequents the fresh waters there, 

 and breeds amidst the reeds and other rank herbage. The 

 nest is large, and floats on the surface of the water, with 

 which it rises, and falls. It is composed of a mass of reeds 

 and other aquatic plants. The eggs vary in number from 

 two to four, and are, when just laid, of a bluish- white ; but 

 they soon become stained by the materials of which the 

 nest is composed. The size of the egg is one inch and 

 three-quarters long, by one inch and one-quarter in breadth. 

 The young birds, when first hatched, are covered with grey- 

 coloured down. No sooner does the old bird perceive danger 

 from any intruder, than she instantly dives, and emerges at 

 thirty or forty j-ards' distance. One day during my sojourn 

 in Iceland, having observed one of these birds dive from its 

 nest, I placed myself with my gun at my shoulder, waiting 

 its re-appearance. As soon as it emerged I fired and killed 



