GREAT NORTHERN DIVER, OR LOON. 257 



" Northern divers," says Hearne, " though common 

 in Hudson's Bay, are by no means plentiful ; they are 

 seldom found near the coast, but more frequently in 

 fresh water lakes, and usually in pairs. They build 

 their nests at the edge of small islands, or the margins 

 of lakes or ponds ; they lay only two eggs, and it is very 

 common to find only one pair and their young in one 

 sheet of water : a great proof of their aversion to society. 

 They are known in Hudson's Bay by the name of 

 loons."* 



The great northern diver measures two feet ten 

 inches from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail, and 

 four feet six inches in breadth ; the bill is strong, of a 

 glossy black, and four inches and three quarters long to 

 the corner of the mouth ; the edges of the bill do not 

 tit exactly into each other, and are ragged, the lower 

 mandible separates into two branches, which are united 

 by a thin elastic membrane, and are easily movable 

 horizontally or receding from each other, so as to form 

 a wider gap to facilitate the swallowing of large fish ; 

 tongue, bifid ; irides, dark blood red; the head and half' 

 of the length of the neck, are of a deep black with a 

 green gloss, and purple reflections ; this is succeeded by 

 a band consisting of interrupted white and black lateral 

 stripes, which encompasses the neck, and tapers to a 

 point on its fore part, without joining, this band 

 measures about an inch and a half in its widest part, 

 and, to appearance, is not continuous on the back part 

 of the neck, being concealed by some thick, overhanging, 

 black feathers, but, on separating the latter, the band 

 becomes visible : the feathers which form these narrow 

 stripes are white, streaked down their centre with 

 black, and, what is a remarkable peculiarity, their 

 webs project above the common surface ; below this a 

 broad band of dark glossy green and violet, which is 

 blended behind with the plumage of the back ; the lower 

 part of the neck and the sides of the breast, are ribbed 

 in the same manner as the band above ; below the chin 



* HEARNE'S Journey, p. 429, quarto. 



VOL. III. R 9 



