COLYMBID^J. 539 



does come on land it does not appear to assume the 

 upright positions in which we are so accustomed to 

 see it stuffed or drawn a position which is so com- 

 mon with Shags, Cormorants, Guillemots, &c. 



There seems still to be some doubt and perplexity 

 about the various changes of plumage both in this 

 bird and the Redthroated Diver, next to be men- 

 tioned; the question being whether, once having 

 assumed its full plumage, it remains in that state 

 for the rest of its life or changes periodically summer 

 and winter. I think the better opinion seems to be 

 that it changes, and I do not think any one has yet 

 answered in the affirmative Mr. Blake-Knox's ques- 

 tion, " Has anyone seen or taken a summer-plumaged 

 bird in the winter ? " The nearest I can come to an 

 affirmative answer is the one presently to be de- 

 scribed, which was killed at Exmouth on the 9th of 

 December, but both this and Mr. Sanford's bird, and 

 one recently sent me from Barnstaple (also about 

 to be described), may be changing to winter 

 plumage. 



The full-plumaged bird is certainly a splendid 

 fellow, and very different from the generality of 

 specimens one sees. The beak is black ; the irides 

 red; head and neck all round black, beautifully 

 glossed with green ; just under the chin, across the 

 fore part of the throat, is a long narrow patch, 

 streaked black and white, and lower down each side 

 of the neck is a broad triangular patch of the same ; 



