302 Mr. Selby on the Quadrupeds mid Birds 



76. C. arcticus, Black-throated Diver. 



This beautiful species, whose breeding station had never before been detected, we found 

 upon most of the interior Sutherland lochs. The first we noticed was at the foot of Loch 

 Shin, where we were so fortunate as to find the nest, or rather the two eggs, upon the 

 bare ground of a small islet, removed about ten or twelve feet from the water's edge. The 

 female was seen in the act of incubation, sitting horizontally, and not in an upright posi- 

 tion, upon the eggs. In plumage she precisely resembled the male, and when fired at im- 

 mediately swam, or rather dived off to him at a short distance. Our pursuit after them 

 was, however, ineffectual, though persevered in for a long time, as it was impossible to cal- 

 culate where they were likely to rise after diving. Submersion frequently continued for 

 nearly two minutes at a time, and they generally re-appeared at nearly a quarter of a mile's 

 distance from the spot where they had gone down. In no instance have I ever seen them 

 attempt to escape by taking wing. I may observe that a visible track from the water to 

 the eggs was made by the female, whose progress upon land is effected by shuffling along 

 upon her belly, propelled by her legs behind. On the day following (Saturday the 31st 

 of May), Mr. J. Wilson was fortunate enough to find two newly hatched young ones in a 

 small creek of Loch Craggie, about two and a half miles from Lairg. After handling and 

 examining them, during which the old birds approached very near to him, he left them in 

 the same spot, knowing that we were anxious to obtain the old birds. Accordingly, on 

 the Monday morning we had the boat conveyed to the loch, and, on our arrival, soon de- 

 scried the two old birds, attended by their young, and apparently moving to a different 

 part of the loch. Contrary to their usual habit at other times, they did not attempt to 

 dive upon our approach, but kept swimming around their young, which, from their tender 

 age, were unable to make much way in the water, and we got sufficiently near to shoot 

 both of them through the neck and head, the only parts accessible to shot, as they swim 

 with the whole body nearly submerged. The female could only be distinguished from the 

 male by a slight inferiority of size, and both were in the finest adult or summer plumage. 

 We afterwards saw several pairs, upon various lochs, and upon Loch Hay a pair, attended 

 by two young ones, nearly half grown. When swimming, they are in the constant habit 

 of dipping their bill in the water, with a graceful motion of the head and neck. 



77. C. septentrionalis, Red-throated Diver. 



Also breeds upon many of the lochs. We obtained no egg or young, but it was evident 

 from the conduct of the birds, that they were breeding. 



78. Una Troile, Foolish Guillemot. 



Is common upon the northern and western coasts of Sutherland, and breeds in great 

 numbers upon the precipices of an island, about six miles from Scourie. 



79. U. Grylle, Black Guillemot. 



Is also frequently seen. Mr. J. Jardine noticed it about the caves near the mouth of 

 the Durness Frith. 



80. Alca Torda, Razor Bill. 

 Also common. 



