COMMON GUILLEMOT. 10 



were, moreover, in the majority of instances, fresh, and 'evidently 

 procured by the Dabchick in virtue of her skill in diving. The 

 young birds swim and dive almost immediately they are hatched, 

 and are very persevering little skulkers if disturbed on their 

 breeding waters. 



276. GREAT NORTHERN DIVER (Colymbu* glaciate). 

 Greatest Speckled Diver, Great Doucker,Immer,Immer Diver. 



This magnificent bird I shot one, in full plumage, several 

 years since, which weighed nearly thirteen pounds is usually 

 found at some distance from the coast, except during that part 

 of the year which is devoted to the work of propagation. 

 There seems good reason to think some of them may breed 

 in some of the most northerly British Islands, but no authentic 

 history of its ever having been known to do so, is, I believe, 

 extant. 



277. BLACK-THROATED DIVER (Colymbus arcticus). 

 Lumme, Northern Doucker, Speckled Loon. The rarest of 



the three Divers known in our seas. It is, however, described 

 as breeding in several of the lakes of Sutherlandshire. It 

 makes no nest, but lays its two eggs on the bare ground, at 

 no great distance from the water-edge. These are in some 

 instances of a light shade of chocolate-brown, others having 

 more of an olive-brown tinge about them, and sparingly spotted 

 with black. 



278. RED-THROATED DIYER (Colymbm septentdonali*). 



Rain Goose, Cobble, Sprat-borer, Spratoon, Speckled Diver. 

 The commonest and the smallest of the Divers, and varying 

 greatly in their plumage, according to age and season. It breeds 

 on the Scottish mainland, in Shetland, in the Hebrides, and until 

 lately in the Orkneys. The eggs are said to be always deposited 

 very near the water's edge. They are two in number, of a greenish 

 brown colour, spotted with very dark brown but, as Mr. Yarrell 

 states, when the egg has been long sat upon the brown ground 

 colour is apt to assume a chestnut, or dark reddish-brown tint. 



III. ALCAD^E. 



279. COMMON GUILLEMOT (Una troile). 

 Eoolish Guillemot, Willock, Tinkershere, Tarrock, Scout, Sea 

 lien, Murre, Lavy. The first on the list of our Rockbirds, as 

 they are often called. It is remarkable in several particulars 

 connected with its breeding peculiarities. It makes no nest and 

 lays but one egg, but that an egg of huge dimensions as con- 

 trasted with the size of the bird itself; besides which, it is almost 



