THE GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. l6 5 



the Imber Diver, Ember Goose, Immer or Cobble is found all round our coasts, 

 but is more common on the western side, where adult birds are more frequently 

 observed than in the more confined seas. 



The greater abundance of this species on our western than our eastern coasts 

 may be, partly at all events, accounted for by the fact that in the breeding season 

 the Great Northern Diver is distinctly a western species. But the young birds 

 of the year are said to come habitually closer in shore, and it is usually birds 

 in this stage of plumage which are obtained on the east coasts of Britain. 



In the Shetlands it arrives in September in considerable numbers, but a large 

 proportion disappear about Christmas. In April and May they again become 

 plentiful, but among the few which remain throughout the summer adults are 

 rarely seen. In the Outer Hebrides it is commonly seen and frequently in summer; 

 and in Skye also it lingers into spring. It occurs commonly on the west coast 

 of Scotland, adult birds being observed in spring, and not unfrequently visits the 

 large lakes of Cumberland and Westmoreland, especially Windermere and Ulleswater. 



A few individuals appear every winter on the Lancashire coast, and specimens 

 have been obtained from early autumn until late in April. It is also frequent in 

 winter on parts of the Welsh coast, but it seldom seems to penetrate far up the 

 Bristol Channel, and in Somersetshire is only an accidental and rare visitant to 

 ponds and inland streams. Both on the north and south coasts of Devon it is of 

 frequent occurrence in winter, and it has been observed a few times in summer, 

 but while old birds in partial summer plumage are not uncommon, examples in 

 full breeding plumage are very rare. The Great Northern Diver is found in more 

 or less numbers every year on the Cornish coast, generally in immature plumage 

 and during the autumn, but birds in full dress have occasionally been seen. 



To the English Channel this Diver is a frequent winter visitor, from autumn 

 to spring, adult birds being met with until quite the end of May. On the east 

 coast it is much less common, and birds in adult breeding dress are very rare. 



To Ireland the Northern Diver is a regular winter visitor, a few birds in adult 

 plumage occasionally occurring quite late in spring. 



There are many instances on record of the occurrence on inland waters in 

 England of this large Diver, which has penetrated to Oxfordshire on more than 

 one occasion. 



It is possible that the Northern Diver may breed on some of the Outer 

 Hebrides, and the Orkney and Shetland Islands, but no positive proof of the fact 

 is at present forthcoming. With regard to the Shetlands, however, there appears 

 to be substantial ground for the supposition that it has occasionally bred on the 

 Island of Yell. Saxby twice obtained thence very large Diver's eggs, accompanied 



