The Zoologist — January, 1869. • 1503 



fish would cause less trouble, but still I don't think any living fish are 

 swallowed, the fins being too dangerous to the throat. 



Great Northern Diver. — Numerous off the Dublin Coast in ilie 

 Winter of 1866-67. — January 30. The northern diver has been very 

 abundant off this coast this winter. Of forty-three examined twenty- 

 nine were young in first winter plumage ; the rest in second, third or 

 adult winter plumage : none of these birds had the black throat, though 

 some had a few speckled feathers in the back. February 8. Watched 

 many northern divers through a powerful glass: out of twenty thus 

 examined four were assuming the dark neck of summer. A well-ad- 

 vanced bird in the moult attracted my attention, and laying aside the 

 glass I took to the sculls, and Harry Kelly never contested harder for 

 the Thames than did I for this diver. She now, poor thing, displays 

 her moult in my collection, and being a very old bird is rather inte- 

 resting in showing that the northern diver has a distinct winter and 

 summer dress. Her back is more than half in the breeding dress, the 

 neck a little more so, one of the rings being perfect. The eyes be- 

 tween crimson and liver-colour. The bill half black and half livid. 

 February 20. They are growing scarce in the Bay, exceedingly wary, 

 diving on the first approach of danger, and unaccountably dis- 

 appearing. They are also very active on the wing, and provokingly 

 fly on the approach of the boat. Two shot as they passed me closely 

 on the wing. Saw no adults in the breeding-dress. March 1. Cruised 

 all day in favourite localities, and saw but one diver, a young bird. 

 March 24. Four met with to-day. Quite unapproachable. They are 

 hauling off the coast. April 20. Five or six seen, chiefly on the wing. 

 The northern diver remains off this coast (Dublin) till late in May, 

 and frequents the Irish Sea all through the summer. I do not there- 

 fore think with Mr. Clark-Kennedy that it should be unusual to notice 

 it off Birkenhead the second week in April (Zool. S. S. 1221), I see 

 no reason why young birds of this and other species of sea-fowl should 

 go northwards in the spring, as they do not breed till at least three 

 years old. This also accounts for the slight difference in numbers 

 between young and old birds, and, as young birds are less wary, are 

 more frequently shot. 



In Breeding Plumage in October. — October 24. Shot a splendid 

 adult in full plumage. The feathers are so good in this bird that it 

 seems a pity they should be discarded for the more sombre dress of 

 winter : still the moult is indicated by a few white feathers appearing 

 in the throat. It is undoubtedly a magnificent bird in this dress. 



