THE DIVER. 421 



species, as well as some others, such as the Sea-Lark, already- 

 mentioned,* when alarmed, carries off its young under the 

 wing. We once saw an old one, basking in the middle of a 

 large sheet of water, with one or two young ones, apparently 

 not long hatched, swimming round her. By the assistance 

 of a telescope, the little downy Divers might be seen, enjoying 

 their new existence ; at one moment darting along the sur- 

 face, and then scrambling on the mother's back, who floated 

 motionless, and continued to plume herself, while the brood 

 gambolled about her. One of the largest of this genus, the 

 Great Northern Diver (Colymbus glacialis), may also be 

 called a British Bird, though but a rare visitant, preferring 

 the more remote shores of the north, where it passes its 

 existence as far as possible beyond the reach of men ; not, 

 however, that it can escape the snare of the hunter, numbers 

 being taken by the persevering efforts of those who know the 

 value of their skins, which, when tanned and dressed, make 

 excellent caps and jackets. But although the poor birds 

 cannot avoid falling a prey to their pursuers, they contrive so 

 effectually to seclude themselves from observation, during the 

 breeding-season, that, in the Orkneys, and other northern 

 islands which they frequent, the inhabitants really believe 

 that they make no nests at all, but, never leaving the sea, 

 hatch their eggs under water, in a hole beneath the wing, 

 prepared by nature for that purpose, a belief, no doubt, 

 encouraged by their being seen, like our Crested Grebes, 

 taking their young upon their backs, or under their wings, 

 for protection. 



Kare as these birds are, they sometimes, either by choice 

 or stress of weather, wander from their dreary northern 

 abodes, and have been met with, very unexpectedly, not far 

 from the habitations of men. For instance, a few years ago 

 one was shot on Styperson Pool, in Adlington, near Maccles- 

 field : either from the close and glossy texture of its feathers, 

 or its agility in diving, it was fired at nine times before it 

 could be secured, and at length received its death-wound from 



* See page 334. 



