166 BRITISH BIRDS. WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



ill the second instance by an accurate description of the birds by the man who 

 took the eggs, which quite convinced him that they were undoubtedly eggs of the 

 Northern Diver. Soon after receiving the first egg, Saxby visited the locality 

 from which it was said to have been obtained, and there saw a Northern Diver 

 on the loch in perfect summer plumage. He describes the eggs as of a dark 

 warm olive-brown, with a few scattered spots of umber-brown and dusky grey. 

 In length they very closely agreed with Hewitson's figure, but two of them were 

 about a line less in breadth. Eggs of the Red-throated Diver never approach 

 these dimensions, and the Black-throated Diver, which sometimes lays eggs nearly 

 as large as those of the Northern Diver, is almost, if not entirely, unknown in 

 the Shetlands, even as an occasional visitor. Saxby also saw the birds in other 

 parts of the island and during the breeding season, and chiefly in fresh- water 

 lochs. 



Since the above was written Mr. B. A. K. Buttress has recorded finding the eggs 

 of this bird near Clouster, in the Shetlands. On a fair-sized loch the recorder 

 saw, " on glassing it," a Diver swimming near the shore. Creeping nearer, he 

 came to about seventy yards from the place, " when up got a couple of Great 

 Northern Divers." Their " heavy and laboured flight " reminded the observer 

 greatly of that of the Shag, but he had his glass on them, " so at once distin- 

 guished them before finding the eggs." These were about six feet from the water, 

 and measured 3 '80 by 2'i5, and 3 '5 5 by 2' 15. The finder lay in wait for an 

 hour, but the birds showed no signs of returning, and the next day he had to 

 leave the neighbourhood. It is rather unfortunate that evidence is not forthcoming 

 to connect the eggs found more closely with the birds seen ; and that the latter 

 could not be approached more closely before the couple got up. But even at 

 seventy yards distance this must have been a wonderful sight ! (vide " Zoologist," 

 1897, p. 509). 



An adult bird in moult was shot, in the middle of August, 1884, near Dungloe, 

 Donegal (" Zoologist," 1892, pp. 109, 192). On the zoth of June, 1883, one was 

 seen swimming near the Lighthouse at Kyleakin, Ross-shire (Migration Report) ; 

 and Dunn saw one in Hammer Voe, Shetland, on the 28th June, which had been 

 there all the summer. No evidence is at present forthcoming that the Northern 

 Diver has ever bred on the Scotch mainland. But on the 5th of June, 1868, Mr. 

 Harvie-Brown watched a pair on a loch in Sutherlandshire ; and the editor of the 

 4th edition of "Yarrell" remarks that few who read his account will have any 

 doubt that the birds were breeding there. On July igth, 1879, an adult bird 

 flew past Mr. Howard Saunders' boat, in Sulem Voe, almost within gun-shot ; and 

 on the 28th, a few hours before he left Lerwick, he was assured, on good authority, 



