DIVER. NATATORES. COLYMBUS. 409 



which this bird possesses, when so situated, is that of shov- 

 ing itself forward by striking the ground with its feet whilst 

 the breast is resting upon it. This I have observed to be 

 done by several that have been brought to me alive; and 

 MONTAGU mentions the same in his account of an individual 

 that was kept alive by him for some time, and which, con- 

 trary to the generally received opinion respecting this bird, 

 soon grew very tame, and would come at the call for food. 

 The Northern Diver rarely flies, as it rises with difficulty 

 from the surface of the water, but when once upon wing, its 

 flight is swift, and, Dr RICHARDSON observes, frequently in 

 a circle round those who intrude upon its haunts. Its cries 

 are frequently loud and melancholy in tone, and have been 

 compared to the screams of a man in distress, but it also oc- 

 casionally utters a low hoarse croak. Its plumage is very 

 thick and close, with a tough skin, on which account it is 

 much used by the natives of the northern countries to form 

 comfortable articles of clothing. The flesh is hard, very 

 dark coloured, and of a rank fishy flavour. 



PLATE 76. Represents an Adult bird from a beautiful spe- 

 cimen in the collection of Sir WILLIAM JARDINE, Bart, 

 that was killed in the Firth of Forth. 



Bill black, paler towards the tip, nearly three inches long, General 

 much compressed, tapering, the upper mandible gently 5?^ np " 

 arched, the lower one channelled beneath, and deepest Adult, 

 in the middle, the angle sloping gradually upwards to 

 the point ; tomia of both mandibles inflected. Head 

 and neck black, glossed with purplish-green. Trans- 

 verse bar upon the throat, middle neck collar, and sides 

 of the upper part of breast, black, the feathers having 

 raised white margins, which give those parts a striated 

 appearance. The whole of the upper plumage glossy- 

 black, each feather having two pure white spots, one on 

 each side of the shaft near the tip, forming rows ; those 

 upon the scapulars and tertials large and quadrangular, 



