Diver. NATATORES. COLYMBUS. 409 
which this bird possesses, when so situated, is that of shov- 
ing itself forward by striking the ground with its feet whilst 
the breast is resting upon it. This I have observed to be 
done by several that have been brought to me alive; and 
Monracu mentions the same in his account of an individual 
that was kept alive by him for some time, and which, con- 
trary to the generally received opinion respecting this bird, 
soon grew very tame, and would come at the call for food. 
The Northern Diver rarely flies, as it rises with difficulty 
from the surface of the water, but when once upon wing, its 
flight is swift, and, Dr Ricuarpson observes, frequently in 
a circle round those who intrude upon its haunts. Its cries 
are frequently loud and melancholy in tone, and have been 
compared to the screams of a man in distress, but it also oc- 
casionally utters a low hoarse croak. Its plumage is very 
thick and close, with a tough skin, on which account it is 
much used by the natives of the northern countries to form 
comfortable articles of clothing. The flesh is hard, very 
dark coloured, and of a rank fishy flavour. 
Puiate 76. Represents an Adult bird from a beautiful spe- 
cimen in the collection of Sir WiLtt1am JARDINE, Bart. 
that was killed in the Firth of Forth. 
Bill black, paler towards the tip, nearly three inches long, 
much compressed, tapering, the upper mandible gently 
arched, the lower one channelled beneath, and deepest 
in the middle, the angle sloping gradually upwards to 
the point; tomia of both mandibles inflected. Head 
and neck black, glossed with purplish-green. ‘Trans- 
verse bar upon the throat, middle neck collar, and sides 
of the upper part of breast, black, the feathers having 
raised white margins, which give those parts a striated 
appearance. ‘The whole of the upper plumage glossy- 
black, each feather having two pure white spots, one on 
each side of the shaft near the tip, forming rows ; those 
upon the scapulars and tertials large and quadrangular, 
General 
descrip- 
tion. 
Adult. 
