GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 325 



The Rev. George Low, says, " tlie Great Northern Diver 

 is very frequent around all the Orkneys, but especially in 

 the bays and harbours, which it enters in pursuit of small 

 fish, its only sustenance. The natural history of this and 

 the following species (another Diver), is something para- 

 doxical. Though they continue among these islands the 

 whole season, I can find none to inform me how or where 

 they breed." Mr. Robert Dunn, who has visited these 

 islands several seasons in succession, says, " this beautiful 

 bird is plentiful both in Orkney and Shetland, in winter and 

 spring. It leaves about the latter end of May, by which 

 time it has acquired its perfect summer plumage. It is 

 extremely shy, and very difficult to get within shot of; it 

 generally congregates in parties of four or five ; it dives with 

 the utmost facility, can remain a long time under water, and 

 rises again at a great distance. In the act of diving it does 

 not appear to make the least exertion, but sinks gradually 

 under the surface without throwing itself forward, the head 

 being the last part that disappears. It frequents the narrow 

 inlets and sounds where there is a sandy bottom, and the 

 best Avay to procure it is to secrete yourself amongst the 

 rocks near the water's edge ; by this means you will fre- 

 quently get a shot at it, as it swims pretty close to the land 

 in shallow water when feeding. It must be shot dead, for 

 if only wounded your chance of getting it is very small. On 

 my last visit to Shetland, I saw a Northern Diver in Ham- 

 mer Voe, in the parish of Northmaven, on the 28th of June ; 

 it was in perfect plumage, and I was informed it had been 

 there all the summer. I presume it must have been wound- 

 ed, or it would have left in the spring. It was remarkably 

 shy ; I tried several times to get a shot at it, but was un- 

 successful." 



Mr. Hewitson, when in Norway, saw the Great Northern 

 Diver, though rarely, in the fiords of the west coast. Richard 



