352 GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 



on most parts of our coasts. It only breeds, however, 

 in the north and west of Scotland, the Hebrides, 

 Orkneys, and Shetlands. It is a winter visitor to Ire- 

 land. 



These birds frequent the sea for the greater part of 

 the year in the breeding season, and are often seen 

 round the mouths of rivers ; they are seen too on the 

 margins of lakes and inland lochs. The eggs are gener- 

 ally laid near the water's edge upon the ground ; some- 

 times a slight nest is formed of reeds and sedges. The 

 eggs, two in number, are of an olive-brown colour, 

 spotted with dark brown. 



These birds feed chiefly upon fish. They are most 

 remarkable divers, descending to a great depth, being 

 quite helpless on land and unable to walk, as their 

 legs are placed very far back under their bodies. The 

 Red-throated Diver is the smallest of the family. It 

 is brownish black on the upper parts, the feathers 

 being speckled with grey at the tips ; head and neck 

 grey, throat chestnut red, and the remaining under 

 parts white. 



Other rarer birds of the Family Colymbidce : 

 GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 



COLYMBUS GLACIALIS. 

 Genus COLYMBUS. 



This large bird is a winter visitor to Great Britain 

 and Ireland and may possibly breed in some of the 

 north-western islands of Scotland. 



