440 ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 



a running pike, straight out into the lake, so that for many feet I could 

 see the cut of the water as it went.' Aug it. A bird in the down was 

 brought me by a Samoyed, who declared that it ran out on to the 

 ground when pressed. If it had not been told me by a man whose 

 word I had the strongest reason to trust, I should not have quoted 

 the statement. 



A monograph might be written on the ways of this bird and the last : 

 which were an unfailing source of interest and wonder to me. But 

 the following may be a useful note, for the noises of the divers are 

 many and confusing. July 22. After a whole morning by our Scharok 

 lake. ' The notes of the red-throated diver when on the lake are 

 reducible to two forms : (i.) A long-drawn-out cry somewhere between 

 a human wail and a cat-call (which we came to talk of as " mewing ") ; 

 and (ii.) a short of churning bark. The latter is made by one of the 

 birds (I think by the female) when making up to the other. It is done 

 by fits. A pair of birds will be swimming along one behind the other, 

 when suddenly the leading bird will face round, lay its head down 

 on the water and churn.' The noise can be heard at a considerable 

 distance. 



