BRITISH BIRDS. 385 



THE RED-THROATED DIVER. 



RED-THROATED LOON, OR RAIN GOOSE. 



(Colyinbus Septentrionalis, Linn . Plongeon cat-mar in, 

 on d gorge rouge, Temm.) 



THIS bird measures three feet five inches in 

 breadth, two feet to the end of the tail, and four 

 inches more to the end of the toes, and weighs 

 nearly three pounds. The bill is dark coloured; 

 irides reddish : the head, chin, and sides of the neck 

 are of a spotless or plain dusty lead-coloured blue : 

 the upper fore part of the neck, to the throat, is of a 

 deep red bay : the hinder part of the neck from the 

 nape towards the shoulders and sides of the breast, 

 is streaked downwards with dusky and white, and 

 formed into curious ridges, by the w T hite edges and 

 tips of the feathers standing outwards. The upper 

 parts of the plumage in some specimens are of a 

 greyish dusky colour, in others of a shining deep 

 brown, and in both thinly sprinkled all over with 

 white spots, which on the coverts and scapulars 



VOL. n. 3 c 



