Birds.. 9523 



then arrive disappear about Christmas. In April and May they again 

 become plentiful, but among the iew which remain throughout the 

 .summer adults are seldom seen. In consequence of its extreme wari- 

 ness and also of its wonderful powers of diving, specimens are obtained 

 with difficulty. The instant it is threatened with danger it sinks 

 beneath the surface of the water and swims rapidly away, seldom 

 emerging before it has traversed a distance of a hundred yards — often 

 much more. When once it has become alarmed, further pursuit is 

 almost hopeless, unless the bird happen to cross the track of the boat, 

 as it will do occasionally, instead of proceeding in a line directly from 

 it. When the bird chooses a favourable course, instead of making off 

 to windward, a boat under sail in a stiff breeze will sometimes overtake 

 it, but such a chance is of rare occurrence. Before its habits were so 

 well known to me as they are now, I used often to pursue it in a four- 

 oared boat, but always unsuccessfully ; lately, however, I have been 

 able with only a single pair of oars to get within range. It sinks the 

 body very low as the boat approaches, often so low that the water 

 covers the hollow of the neck, and the chances are that when fired at 

 it will escape by diving, unless, indeed, the favourable moment be 

 selected when the bird turns away its head or rises to flap its wings. 

 Once, and only once, I have seen it take wing when shot at, instead 

 of diving. It appears to me that the main secret of success in shooting 

 it, lies in aiming low and a little in advance, so as to strike the head as 

 it is thrown forward in the act of diving. The mode in which this bird 

 dives cannot easily be explained in words. I have watched it care- 

 fully upon many occasions, but always with a most unsatisfactory 

 result ; it merely seems to give a slight start (if I may so express my 

 meaning), and disappears in an instant. When wounded in such a 

 manner as to be disabled from diving it is a very awkward bird to 

 handle, and is then so fierce that none but curs and lapdogs should be 

 seut in after it. It will allow the boat to run close up without dis- 

 playing any sign of activity ; but the moment a hand appears in reach 

 there is a sudden splas'h with wings and feet, and such a thrust is de- 

 livered with the sharp bill that if it take effect it will probably interfere 

 with the captor's shooting for some days afterwards. In order to form 

 a just estimate of the enormous muscular power which is possessed by 

 the legs and feet, one should take the bird in hand in a living state; 

 and here I may mention a very conclusive, if somewhat cruel, experi- 

 ment which was made a iew years ago by a gentleman of my acquaint- 

 ance who resides in this neighbourhood. Having slightly wounded a 

 northern diver, he and a lad who was with him managed to get it alive. 



