412 BRITISH BIRDS. 



COLYMBUS SEPTENTRIONALIS. 

 RED-THROATED DIVER. 



(Plate 35.) 



Mergus gutture nibo, Briss. Orn. vi. p. Ill (1760). 



Colymbus septentrionalis, Linn. Si/st. Nat. i. p. 220 (1700) ; et auctorum pluri- 



morum — Temminck, {Naumanyi), Dresser, Saunders, &c. 

 Mergus septentrioualis {Linn.), Tunst. Orn. Brit. p. 3 (1771). 

 Colymbus stellatus, Midi. Zool Dan. Prodr. p. 20 (1770). 

 Colymbus striatus, Gmel. Si/st. Nat. i. p. 580 (1788). 

 Colymbus borealis, Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 801 (1790). 

 Urinator septentrioualis (Linn.), Cm. Anat. Comp. i. table 2 (1799). 

 Colymbus rufogularis, Meyer, Taschetih. ii. p. 453 (1810). 

 Eudytes septentrioualis {Linn), Illiyer, Prodr. p. 283 (1811). 

 Cohnnbus lumme, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 978 (1831, ex Gunner). 

 Cepphus septentrionalis (im«.), [ p^^^^_ Rosso-Asiat. ii. pp. 342, 344 (1826). 



Cepphus stellatus {Mull), \ '' \v i \ i 



Urinator lumme {Brehn), Stejn. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mns. v. p. 43 (1882). 



The Red-throated Diver is the best-known species of the genus in the 

 British Islands, breeding commonly on the Hebrides, in many parts of the 

 west and north of Scotland, and in the Orkneys and Shetlands. During 

 winter it is tolerably common round the British coasts, wandering as 

 far as the south coast of England and the Channel Islands. It is only 

 known as a winter visitor to Ireland, but a few pairs probably remain to 

 breed in suitable districts. 



The geographical distribution of the Red-throated Diver is somewhat 

 similar to that of its Black-throated ally, but it is circumpolar. This 

 Diver breeds both north and south of the Arctic circle like its ally, but on 

 the American continent its range extends much further north, almost as 

 far as land is known to exist. Unlike its ally it breeds in Greenland, 

 Iceland, the Faroes, Spitzbergen, and Nova Zembla. On the European 

 continent, although its breeding-range extends to Scotland and South 

 Scandinavia, in Pomerania and the Baltic provinces it is only known as 

 passing through on migration. Its winter range is also much more exten- 

 sive than that of its ally. In Western Europe it is found tliroughout the 

 coasts from the North Cape to Gibraltar. In the Mediterranean it winters 

 as far south as the north coast of Africa and the delta of the Nile. It 

 also winters in considerable numbers in the basins of the Black and Caspian 

 Seas. It is unknown in Turkestan and India, but its winter range extends 

 to Japan, China, and Formosa. On the American continent it winters on 



