AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 273 



of the Black-throated Diver in shape, but lighter 

 in ground colour and, of course, considerably smaller. 

 From September to May, and occasionally even later, 

 this Diver may be met with on almost all parts of the 

 English coasts ; but it prefers comparatively sheltered 

 estuaries and creeks to the open sea, where the Great 

 Northern Diver braves the rough weather. I have 

 met with this species in considerable numbers in 

 several of the harbours of the south coast of England, 

 as Yv-ell as in Ireland, on the north coast of Spain, 

 and less commonly in the Mediterranean. In a 

 much-frequented harbour these Divers pay very 

 little attention to passing vessels, but soon find 

 out when harm is intended for them, and if not 

 " fed up " take wing readily on being pursued, but 

 if they have dived successfully for food several 

 times, they trust to the water for safety, and in my 

 experience are much more easily obtained Avith a 

 well-manned rowing-boat than is the Great Crested 

 Grebe. These birds when chased, and not infre- 

 quently when entirely unmolested, swim with the 

 whole of their bodies submerged, and constantly 

 dip their bills into the water. The dive is performed 

 with much less apparent exertion by this and the 

 other Divers than by any other family of birds, not 

 excepting even the Grebes ; this Red-throated Diver 

 especially seems often to go down, head foremost 

 certainly, but with no effort whatever. I have 

 frequently observed that these birds, when not 

 pursued, and simply diving for food, generally come 

 up with their bills pointing in the exactly opposite 

 direction to that in which they went down — in fact, 

 they almost always make a complete turn whilst 

 under water. It is very common to see a Diver, 

 when pursued, go down at a hundred yards or more 



VOL. II. T 



