GULLS AND DIVERS 75 



fashion ; while a mass of gulls, in a state of the 

 utmost excitement, seemed to hide away the sea. 



The divers are at the opposite extreme. When 

 the gulls leave the surface, they rise into the air ; 

 when the divers leave the surface, it is to go down 

 into the depths. There are intermediate forms 

 which fly or dive indifferently, but the divers 

 proper seldom rise if they can help it, not even 

 when they are hard pressed. Wonderful is the 

 adaptation of structure to life. The upper half of 

 the leg, which might be of use in walking, is 

 hidden away inside. When they come ashore, 

 which they only do to breed, they shuffle along 

 their body, which rests on the ground, in the most 

 awkward manner imaginable. The exposed half of 

 the leg, which is carried far back, is almost as sharp 

 as a knifeblade, and is turned broadside on for the 

 back stroke. 



There are three such divers on our coast. The 

 Great Northern, as his name implies, is the most 

 nearly Arctic form, breeding sparingly indeed in 

 the north of Scotland, but not in any great 

 number till we reach Iceland. This is the " loon " 

 of the whalers. After nesting, he returns south, 

 and is by no means an uncommon form around 

 our coast. He can hunt for almost a quarter of a 



