COLYMBIDA. 539 
does come on land it does not appear to assume the 
upright positions in which we are so accustomed to 
see it stuffed or drawn—a position which is so com- 
mon with Shags, Cormorants, Guillemots, &c. 
There seems still to be some doubt and perplexity 
about the various changes of plumage both in this 
bird and the Redthroated Diver, next to be men- 
tioned; the question being whether, once having 
assumed its full plumage, it remains in that state 
for the rest of its life or changes periodically summer 
and winter. I think the better opinion seems to be 
that it changes, and I do not think any one has yet 
answered in the affirmative Mr. Blake-Knox’s ques- 
tion, “‘ Has anyone seen or taken a summer-plumaged 
bird in the winter?” The nearest I can come to an 
affirmative answer is the one presently to be de- 
scribed, which was killed at Exmouth on the 9th of 
December, but both this and Mr. Sanford’s bird, and 
one recently sent me from Barnstaple (also about 
to be described), may be changing to winter 
plumage. 
The full-plumaged bird is certainly a splendid 
fellow, and very different from the generality of 
specimens one sees. ‘The beak is black; the irides 
red; head and neck all round black, beautifully 
glossed with green; just under the chin, across the 
fore part of the throat, is a long narrow patch, 
streaked black and white, and lower down each side 
of the neck is a broad triangular patch of the same; 
