286 NATATORES. 



water, on the lee-shore : but if the diver is " taken cross " 

 by the surge upon one foot, he has the other to counteract ; 

 and if on both, he has still the wings. The action of the four 

 extremities, too, enables the bird to "get down" to the 

 smooth water to rest itself, while it can ascend and breathe 

 in the lee of the ridge. To see them from a promontory, 

 against which the air and the- sea are setting full wind and 

 tide, and drifting myriads of the fry of herrings, and every 

 other surface fish, is (good footing and heart and hand braced 

 to hold on) no inglorious sight. They dash along the surface, 

 they dart under it, they bounce up again, they bore through 

 the ridge, and when the wave breaks in foam and thunder 

 over them, and one would naturally conclude that, if they 

 are not dashed to atoms, they are buried for ever in the deep, 

 up they spring to the surface of the unbroken water, 

 farther from the land. The breaker indeed always finds 

 them facing it ; and while it is falling, they plunge and get 

 to sea, safe from the coil of water on the surface. Taken 

 with all its circumstances, it is one of the most spirit-stirring 

 displays in the whole of the animal economy. 



There are three species of divers, resident or visitant, upon 

 the British shores. 



THE NORTHERN DIVER (Co lynibus glaciolis). 



This species is often considered to be merely a winter 

 visitant ; and there is no doubt that it is only such upon the 

 more southerly shores of our island, though every analogy 

 leads to the conclusion, that it breeds in the more remote 

 islands. It breeds rather inland, and in the most sheltered 

 and secluded places ; and as none of the birds rise or show 

 themselves, and many of those northern morasses are not 

 very easily explored, it may breed in considerable numbers 

 without bein^ seen. 



The northern diver, or ember goose, as it is sometimes 



