288 THE DIVERS. 



except a narrow dark line behind ; at either side, 

 before the wings, are numerous large white feathers, 

 bordered by velvet-black ; the lower part of the neck 

 and breast is chestnut-brown, varied with dark streaks, 

 and the body and wings are elegantly diversified with 

 white, black, and brown feathers. The Goosander 

 (Mergus merganser), our largest species, is found chiefly 

 in the northern parts of the kingdom, whose shores it 

 visits in winter. In its colours it somewhat resembles 

 the last, having a dark-green head and throat; but 

 the upper part of the body is more uniformly dark ; 

 and it wants the black-edged feathers in front of the 

 wing, and, instead of the mottled breast, the lower 

 part of the neck and under -surface of the body is a 

 reddish-buff. 



These Mergansers naturally lead us to the Grebes 

 and Divers, or Colymbidce, a family at once distinguished 

 from the Duck tribe by the long conical bill, and the 

 position of the legs, which are placed so far back, to- 

 wards the tail, that when the bird leaves the water, 

 it stands nearly erect. The foot in the Grebes is only 

 partially webbed, the toes being deeply divided, and 

 merely winged with membrane ; but in the Divers we 

 find feet webbed like those of the Ducks. The Grebes 

 have long beaks, and long bodies, but short wings, and 

 an obsolete tail, and frequently long and dense feathers 

 on the neck, forming a thick ruff round the throat. 

 Their habits are more properly lacustrine than marine ; 

 they feed on small fish and aquatic insects, which they 

 take by diving, pursuing their game under water with 

 great agility. The little Dab-chick, so often seen in 



