BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 51 



DIVER, BLACK-THROATED. 



Descriptioii of Parent Birds. — Length about 

 twenty-six inches. Bill rather long, straight, 

 pointed, and black. Irides red. Top of head 

 and back of neck grey, darkest on the fore part 

 of head. Sides of neck marked with longitudinal 

 black and white lines. Back scapulars and wing- 

 coverts black, the two first being marked with 

 square patches and the last with round spots of 

 white. Wing-quills, rump and tail feathers, dusky 

 black. Chin and throat black, divided by a collar 

 of black and white short longitudinal lines. 

 Breast, belly, and vent white. Under tail-coverts 

 dusky. Legs, toes, and webs dark brown on the 

 outside, reddish or pale brown on the inside. 



The female is a trifle smaller than the 

 male. 



Situation and Locality. — In a hollow on the 

 ground, amongst the stones and shingle of secluded 

 mountain tarns and loch shores, sometimes amongst 

 the grass, but rarely far from the water ; also on 

 small grassy islands in bodies of fresh water. The 

 bird is a great lover of old haunts. In the North- 

 west of Scotland and the outer Hebrides. 



Materials.- — Eoots, stalks, or aquatic herbage, 

 lined with grass, sometimes nothing whatever. 



Eggs. — Two, occasionally only one, ranging in 

 colour from buffisli-brown to dark olive-brown, 

 scantily spotted with umber and blackish-brown. 

 Average size about 3"25 by 2*0 in. 



Time. — May and June. 



i?ew«/7i5.— Resident, but subject to southern 

 movement in winter. Notes strange and weird, 

 and said to resemble " DrinJc ! drinlx ! drinl- ! tlie 

 E 2 



