The Zoologist — February, 1866. 93 



Ornithological Notes from the Counti/ Dublin. 

 By H. Blake-Knox, Esq. 



October and November, 1865. 

 Bedthroated Diver. — The redthroated diver appeared here early in 

 October in fair numbers. A young bird, shot in the early part of the 

 month, was similar to young birds shot throughout the winters of 

 former years : the speckles on the throat are, however, deeper and 

 more plentiful than in December or January, A very old adult, shot 

 on the 20lh of October, was in full winter plumage. The snow-white 

 cheeks and throat, at this season, tells the adult from the young of the 

 year, whilst either flying or swimming ; and the dingy colour of the 

 back, and the dirty white of the speckles of the latter, instantly distin- 

 guish it from the bird in second winter. On the same day I shot a bird 

 second winter plumage : at this stage the young is very similar to the 

 adult, but the collar of faint speckles on the neck distinguishes it from 

 the old bird. For the plumage of the young in first winter and spring 

 and of the adult in autumn and winter, see my notes in the ' Zoologist' 

 (Zool. 9611). These birds fly much more willingly than the great 

 northern diver, and by this means I lost shots at some adults in the 

 autumn moult, the throats being as in summer, but thickly speckled 

 with white : this was in the beginning of October. I find as yet that 

 no correspondent has answered my query. Did they ever see a red- 

 throated diver, in the flesh, in the summer adult state of plumage, in 

 the months of December or January ? No practical marine ornitho- 

 logist would put much faith in Temminck : I cannot, for I have read 

 too much "bosh" in his work to come to any conclusion but that he 

 did not always write from experience. 



Great Northern Diver.— 1 have to thank Mr. W. Jeff"ery, jun. (Zool. 

 9716), for answers to my query, on the summer and wiuter plumages 

 of the Colymbi (Zool. 9611). The birds mentioned by him are in 

 mixed plumage and females, and most probably very old birds, either 

 backward in the moult or throwing out "false" feathers, as many 

 birds will do ; for instance, i knew an old duck (female) to throw out 

 the distinctive feathers of the mallard. If the reader refers to my 

 note on the great northern diver (Zool. 9610), I have written, "As 

 late as January I have shot birds with summer feathers still in their 

 plumage, and appearing new; these were old females.'''' But these 

 two instances of Mr. Jeff'ery's, so late in the winter, will not be often 



