442 COLYMBID^E. 



THE RED-THROATED DIVER is the smallest species of 

 the genus, as well as the most common ; and the occur- 

 rence of specimens with white throats in winter is so 

 constant and so frequent, while those with red throats, at 

 the same time of the year, are so rare, that the question 

 has been asked, and with some reason, is not the dark- 

 coloured throat in the three species of the genus Colymbus, 

 an appearance peculiar to the breeding-season ; but to this 

 part of the subject I shall return before concluding the 

 account of the Diver with the red throat. 



Mr. William Thompson, of Belfast, considers this species 

 a regular winter visitant to Ireland, and records it as 

 having been killed at places on the north, the east, the 

 west, and also at Youghal in the south. It has been 

 killed on the coast of South Wales, as noticed by Mr. 

 Dillwyn ; it is very frequently observed and obtained in 

 winter on the coasts of Cornwall and Devon. Colonel 

 Hawker notices them on the coasts of Dorsetshire and 

 Hampshire ; specimens have been shot on the coast of 

 Sussex ; it is common about the estuary of the Thames, 

 both on the Kentish and Essex sides, where these birds 

 follow the numerous shoals of sprats, and are in consequence 

 called the Sprat Loon. They are frequently caught in the 

 nets. The term Loon, or Loom, appears to be a modifica- 

 tion of the Laplanders' name, Lumme, which is said to 

 mean lame, in reference to the bird's hobbling mode of 

 progressing on land. In Norway the name of Lumme 

 refers more particularly, almost exclusively, to the Black- 

 throated Diver ; but M. Nilsson in his Fauna of Scandi- 

 navia, calls all the three species by the name of Lorn, dis- 

 tinguishing the Red-throated Diver, on account of its com- 

 parative want of size, by the name of Sma Lorn. This 

 species is very commonly exposed for sale in the London 



