The Black-throated Diver 



In Ireland it has only been taken at long intervals, but in 

 Scotland it breeds locally throughout the north and west. 



The site chosen for the nest is usually an islet in some 

 large loch, and the eggs, two in number, are olive brown, 

 sparsely spotted with black and brown. The young when 

 first hatched are of a uniform smoky grey -brown. 



In its habits it closely resembles the next species. In 

 summer the back is black, spotted with white, but the spots 

 are not so uniformly distributed as in the former species. 

 Crown and hind neck ash grey, chin and throat black, 

 margined with short black and white stripes and a small 

 band of similar stripes towards the upper end of the patch. 

 Under parts white. The sexes are alike, but the females 

 are slightly smaller. After the autumn moult the chin and 

 throat are white and the upper parts ash brown. 



The young bird resembles the young of the Great 

 Northern Diver, but is much smaller and the neck is greyer. 

 Length 27 in.; wing 11 '7 5 in. 



THE RED-THROATED DIVER 



Colymbus septentrionalis, Linnaeus 



This species is the commonest of the Divers and may be 

 found along all our coasts during the winter months. In 

 the breeding season, except for a few pairs that may still 

 be found on some of the Irish loughs, it is restrieted to 

 Scotland so far as our islands are concerned. 



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