BLACK- THROATED DIVER. 193 



Out of Europe, Temminck's collections from Japan 

 contain identical specimens ; and in various parts of 

 North America it is not unfrequent, reaching as far 

 south as Texas and the Columbia river, and towards 

 the north having been seen by the arctic voyagers 

 on Hudson's Bay and the coasts of Melville Penin- 

 sula. 



In this beautifully marked species, which we con- 

 sider typical, the head and neck are of a deep rich 

 grey, similar in texture to the plumage of the Guil- 

 lemots, and on the cheeks shading into the rich dull 

 black which prevails on the chin ; this is separated 

 from the gular patch by a gorget of feathers striated 

 black and white, surrounding the patch, running 

 down upon the sides of the breast, and nearly meet- 

 ing on the back of the neck ; the striated appear- 

 ance is produced by the feathers being black, with a 

 streak of white on each margin ; the gular patch is 

 deep black, having a rich gloss of purple, conspi- 

 cuously seen when viewed across; it ends in a 

 peaked form upon the centre of the breast ; the 

 under parts pure white, sides of the tail greenish 

 black, axillary feathers white ; the upper plumage 

 is deep glossy black with green reflections ; on the 

 upper part of the back or mantle there are two 

 lengthened patches of square white spots, separated 

 from the scapular patch ; the latter runs the whole 

 length of the feathers, and has the markings of a 

 large size, running in fourteen or fifteen bars ; the 

 wing-covers are marked with an oval spot on each 

 web ; quills and tail black ; feet and legs black, the 



