152 BRITISH BIKDS, THEIR EGGS AND NESTS. 
part of the parent bird, though in others it may be simply due to 
the action of the juices of fresh or decaying vegetable substances 
I never yet, though I have seen some dozens of nests, found the 
eggs left uncovered by the owner, save only in one instance, in 
which only one egg had been laid. The weeds used asa covering 
were, moreover, in the majority of instances, fresh, and evidently 
procured by the Dabchick in virtue of her skill in diving. The 
young birds swim and dive almost immediately they are hatched, 
and are very persevering little skulkers if disturbed on their 
breeding waters. 
276. GREAT NORTHERN DIVER—(Colymbus gilacialis). 
Greatest Speckled Diver, Great Doucker, hnmer, immer Diver.— 
This magnificent bird—I shot one, in full plumage, several 
years since, which weighed nearly thirteen pounds—is usually 
found at some distance from the coast, except during that part 
of the year whicn is devoted to the work of propagation. 
There seems gcod reason to think some of them may breed 
in some of the most northerly British Islands, but no authentic 
history of its ever having been known to do so, is, I believe, 
extant. 
977. BLACK-THROATED DIVER—(Colymbus arcticus). 
Lumme, Northern Doucker, Speckled Loon.—The rarest of 
the three Divers known in our seas. Ji is, however, described 
as breeding in several ot the lakes of Sutherlandshire. It 
makes no nest, but lays its two eggs on the bare ground, at 
no great distance from the water-edge. These aie in some 
instances of a light shade of chocolate-brown, others having 
more of an olive-brown tinge about them, and sparingly spotted 
with black. 
278. RED-THROATED DIVER—(Colymbus septentrionalis). 
Rain Goose, Cobble, Sprat-borer, Spratoon, Speckled Diver. 
