70 BIRD BIOGRAPHIES 



nest building by this bird, just a depres- 

 sion by the water's edge suffices, but the 

 birds belonging to these eggs had made 

 quite a substantial nest. It was on a 

 sloping bank about eighteen inches above 

 the water, and there was a well-worn 

 passage from the nest to the water. On 

 the land the Black-throated Diver has 

 difficulty in getting about, and for that 

 reason always lays its eggs close to the 

 water's edge. The eggs were large, about 

 three inches in length, and were a dull 

 olive-brown colour, and much smothered 

 with mud. The Diver usually builds its 

 nest on quite small islands, but this was 

 on one of the largest of the numerous 

 islands. The keeper and I built a very 

 good hiding place about thirty-five feet 

 from the nest, and covered this over with 

 slabs of grass, and with the exception 

 of the small space left for the lens it har- 

 monized exactly with the surroundings. 

 Far out on the loch we could see the two 



