154 BRITISH SEA BIRDS. 



not yet agreed upon the degree of their relation- 

 ship. United, these three families form Dr. 

 Sclater's order PYGOPODES. In every way the 

 Divers are remarkably well fitted for an aquatic 

 life. Their strong tarsi are laterally compressed, a 

 form best suited for cleaving the water, the hind 

 toe is well developed, and on the same plane as the 

 rest, the feet are webbed, the bill is long, straight, 

 spear-shaped and conical, admirably adapted for 

 seizing the finny prey, the wings are comparatively 

 short, yet capable of bearing the bird at great 

 speed, the tail is short and fairly developed. The 

 Divers in nuptial plumage are remarkably hand- 

 some birds, the neck being striped or richly marked, 

 and the upper plumage beautifully spotted or 

 adorned with white bars. They are all more or 

 less gregarious birds during winter, and well 

 marked social tendencies are displayed in some 

 species during the breeding season. Their mi- 

 grations, if comparatively short, are pronounced 

 and regular. The young are hatched covered 

 with down, able to swim with ease almost imme- 

 diately. Adults moult in autumn, and assume their 

 nuptial plumage in winter a period doubtless 

 when they pair the winter plumage thus being 

 carried for a short time. Young Divers carry their 

 first plumage through the winter until the following 

 spring (not moulting in December with their 

 parents), when they assume their summer plumage, 

 but the nuptial ornaments are not so brilliant in 



