52 BBITI8H BIRDS' NESTS. 



lake is nearly dried uj).'" Local and other names 

 Speckled Loon, Lmnme, Northern Donker. Does 

 not sit closely. 



DIVER, RED-THROATED. 



Description of Parejif Birds. — Length about 

 twenty-four inches. Bill rather long, straight, 

 sharp-pointed, and bluish horn-colour, Irides red. 

 Face and crown ash-grey, nape nearly black, with 

 short perpendicular white lines on it. Back, 

 wings, and upper tail-coverts almost black, spotted 

 with white, except wing-quills, which are nniform 

 black. Chin, cheeks, and sides of neck ash-grey, 

 mixed with lines and spots of a lighter tinge. On 

 the upper part of the neck in front is a conical 

 patch of chestnut-red. Breast, belly, vent, and 

 under tail-coverts white ; sides greyish-black, spotted 

 with white. Legs, toes, and webs dark brown on 

 the outside and lighter within. 



The female is somewhat smaller in size than 

 the male. 



Situation and Locality. — On the turf or amougst 

 stones and shingle close to the edges of lonely 

 moorland and mountain pools, tarns, or lakes ; by 

 preference on a small island in any of the above 

 sheets of water, on the northern and western main- 

 land, and the islands oif those coasts of Scotland. 

 The bird is also said to breed in the west of 

 Ireland. Our illustration was procured in tlie outer 

 Hebrides. 



Matericds. — Loose rushes and dry grass, very 

 often nothing at all. 



Eggs. — Two. Olive, or deep greenish- brown in 

 ground colour, spotted with blackish-brown. Size 

 about 2*8 by 1*8 in. 



