180 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



A pair in immature plumage, which I noticed several 

 times one day flying together in the early part of May, 

 in the Channel, and the specimen in the case being all 

 that I have met with. 



The bird was shot close to the West Pier, at 

 Brighton, where it had remained sitting on the water 

 for several hours, being probably worn out by a con- 

 tinuance of stormy weather. It was obtained in Novem- 

 ber, 1870. 



KED-THROATED DIVER. (SUMMER.) 

 Case 231. 



The Red- throated Diver is common during the nesting 

 season in the north of Scotland, and in many of the 

 adjacent islands. This species appears to be more 

 plentiful where the country is flat, with small marshy 

 pieces of water, than in the hill lochs, which are the 

 true home of its relative the Black Throat. It is con- 

 sequently most numerous among the " floes " * which 

 abound in the central part of Caithness. 



To state that the note of this bird is pleasing to the 

 ear would scarcely be correct. I have seldom heard 

 anything more melancholy than its dismal cries, which 

 are frequently repeated both before and during the con- 

 tinuance of rough and stormy weather. 



The specimens in the case were obtained in Strath- 

 more, in Caithness, in June, 1868. 



* Flat tracts of moor, with still, deep, black pools of water. 



