AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 271 



Divers consists entirely of fishes taken beneath the 

 surface of the water, and it is by diving that they 

 seek to avoid their pursuers. This species is said to 

 be especially reluctant to take wing, although it is 

 capable of prolonged and rapid flight. The Black- 

 throated Diver is stated to be abundant throughout 

 the whole of Scandinavia during the summer months, 

 and from its comparative scarcity on our own and 

 more southern coasts during the winter, I presume 

 that for the most part they spend the cold season on 

 the nearest open water to their summer haunts. 



222. RED-THROATED DIVER. 



Colymhus septentrionalis . 



I have several records of the occurrence of this 

 bu'd in our district, but will only mention the few 

 instances in which I feel no doubt as to correct 

 identification. I found an immature specimen of 

 the Iled-throated Diver stufied at Blatherwycke Hall 

 on the occasion of my first visit in January 1855, 

 and was informed by the late Mr. Stafford O'Brien 

 that it had been killed on the lake in his park 

 several years previously. I have reason to believe 

 that this bird is now in my collection at Lilford : for 

 the Rev. J. Holdich, who presented me with a stuffed 

 specimen of this species in February 1876, then 

 informed me that it was given to him by Mr. O'Brien 

 " nearly twenty years ago." Captain J. A. M. Vipan 

 informed me that he shot a Red-throated Diver at 

 Sibson, near Wansford, on March 18, 1875. About 

 November 12, 1888, one of this species AAas picked 

 up near Pytchley, and taken alive to Mr. J. Field, of 



