on many parts of the south coast of England, and in 

 Ireland at all seasons from November to May ; but I 

 only once shot a specimen with fully developed red 

 throat, this was in Plymouth Sound about the middle 

 of May 1855 ; this individual was, as far as I could 

 make out, the only one of perhaps some 30 or 40 then 

 frequenting the Sound that had any discernible dark 

 colouring on the throat. 



This Diver lays two long olive-brown eggs spotted 

 with darker brown, these are placed close to the water, 

 on the margins of secluded pools and lochs, the bird 

 seldom making any nest ; but on this matter I quote 

 from authority, as I have never met with the bird in its 

 breeding-localities. The diving-powers of this group of 

 birds are marvellous, but not so great in this species 

 as in the larger Great Northern Diver. I have spent 

 many hours, I might say days, in pursuit of both 

 species in England, Ireland, Spain, and Switzerland; 

 the present bird, when feeding, will occasionally permit 

 of a close approach under sail, but if " light" and hungry 

 generally rises and flies to a considerable distance when 

 alarmed, sometimes, however, taking a long precau- 

 tionary dive before doing so. On the other hand, if the 

 bird has been observed to dive on its own account four 

 or five times, it may be reckoned that it is well on 

 towards what whalers call " full ship," and will not 

 rise at all, in this case its capture, if desired, is merely 

 a matter, in smooth water, of time and good steer- 

 ing, for the length of the dives gradually diminishes 

 till the wearied bird may be almost taken with the 

 hand. These birds have an objection to fly over the 



