60 THE BIRD WATCHER 
cleanly and finely di@f€led that they look as though 
they had been traced by a paint-brush in the hand of 
a Japanese artist. There is a gorget of rich ruddy 
chestnut on the throat, but the rest of it, with the 
head and chin, is of a very delicious plum-bloomy 
grey, which looks in the sunlight as though it would 
be purple if it dared, but were too modest—a lovely 
and esthetic combination, soft, yet bright, and the 
whole with such a smoothness as no words can 
describe. There is another effect wrought by the 
sun, if it should happen to be shining, and if the bird 
should be swimming so as to give a profile view. It 
then looks as though there were a broad, white stripe 
—white, but having almost a prismatic brilliancy— 
along the contour-line of the nape. This appearance 
is most deceptive, and it is only when the bird turns 
its neck so as to show the several thin delicate 
stripings that one sees it to be illusory. It is pro- 
duced, I think, by the light being reflected from the 
white stripes alone, so that the black ones between 
them are overlooked. Whatever may be the cause, 
the effect is most striking and lovely, and if the stripes 
themselves are due to sexual selection—which I do 
not doubt they are—this far more beautiful appear- 
ance, being the effect and crown of them, must 
assuredly also be. Here isa neck, then! and I have 
seen three, and once even seven, together ! . 
In their way of diving, again, these birds resemble 
the grebes. Sometimes they go down with a very 
quiet little leap, but often they sink and disappear so 
