THE RED-THROATED DIVER. 557 



localities in Maine : 3.67 by 2.35, 3.85 by 2.15, 3.50 by 

 2.25, 3.50 by 2.25 inches. Tlieir color is an olivaceons- 

 brown, sometimes an olivaceous-drab; and one specimen is 

 of a reddisli-browii, with but a slight olivaceous tint. This 

 primary color is sparingly marked with small spots and a 

 few larger blotches of blackish or very dark-brown. Tlie 

 Umbagog Lakes, in Maine, arc a favorite breeding locality 

 of this species ; and sometimes several pairs may be found, 

 within a hundred rods of each other, engaged in the duties 

 of incubation. When the nest is approached, the sitting 

 bird silently leaves it ; and, gliding througli the grass, drops 

 into the water ; and, diving, swims below the surface to a 

 considerable distance from the shore, where, appearing 

 above it, she attentively watches the intruder. 



The nest is built only a short distance from the watei-, 

 and is approached in different directions by paths through 

 the grass, beaten by the birds, or sometimes by muskrats 

 in their approaches to their winter homes. I once heard of 

 one of these Loons forming its nest in the top of an aban- 

 doned muskrat's nest, and of another that placed it in the 

 top of a low stump of a pine. Usually, it is laid on the mud 

 or earth, in tliick grass or weeds. 



COLYMBUS SEPTENTRIONALIS.— L/^nfews. 

 The Red-throated Diver. 



Colymhns Sepfentrionalis, Nuttall. Man., II. (18.34) 519. Aud. Om. Biog., III. 

 (1838) 20; V. (1839) 62.5. 76., Birds Am., VII (1844) 299. 



DeSCKII'TION. 



Adult. — Front, sides of the head, upper part of the throat, and sides of the neck, 

 clear bluish-gray; upper part of the head of the same color, intermixed with black- 

 ish spots; the hind neck streaked longitudinally with white on a greenish-black 

 ground, the white feathers being raised above the others; on the iorepart of the 

 neck is a large longitudinal patch of deep reddish-brown; upper plumage brownish- 

 black, slightly tinged with green, and on the upper part of the back and lower part 

 and sides of the neck streaked and mottled with white; wings and tail brownish- 

 black; under plumage pure-white, with a band across the hind-part of the abdomen, 

 and the lower tail coverts, brownish-gray; bill bluish-black; iris bright-red ; tarsi 

 and feet brownish-black externally, on the inside pale flesh-color; claws yellowish 

 at the base, dusky at the end. 



