D416 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
of the under parts are pure white; the back of the 
thighs to the tail-coverts very dark dusky, speckled 
with white. Another specimen, likewise shot at Ex- 
mouth in October, and certainly a young bird of the 
year, has the throat and sides of the neck much 
clouded and mixed with dusky; the top of the head 
and back of the neck dusky grey, mixed with white ; 
the back and scapulars are much the same ground 
colour as the last, perhaps rather paler, but the 
white spots are very different in shape, being much 
longer and not so round—in fact, the top of the 
feathers are nearly margined with white, there being 
only a little break in the centre at the tip; the rest 
of the plumage is much as in the last. In these two 
last states of plumage it is the first and second 
“Speckled Diver” of Bewick. 
The eggs are reddish brown, spotted with much 
darker brown. 
This is the last of the Grebes and Divers I can 
include in this list. I do not think they can be con- 
sidered either of much use or harm in their relation 
to man: perhaps an occasional unsuccessful fisher- 
man may growl at a “ Sprat Loon,” as he would call 
it, for driving the fish away from the coast, but that 
is merely an outburst of ill temper; no doubt they 
eat a few fish, but not enough seriously to diminish 
their number, 
