198 COLYMBID.E. 



June 1838), Mr. Hyndinan observed oue of these birds, perhaps 

 the same individual, very uear the shore here. Tlie Rev. G. M. 

 Bhick frequently sees the great northern diver, during winter, 

 in the sea off Amialong, at the base of the mountains of Mourne. 

 Some of the birds are in mature plumage. They appear to have 

 favourite haunts, as he has observed what was believed to be the 

 same bird, week after week in the same place, lie has sometimes 

 seen them take to wing. 



Mr. J. V. Stewart, in his published list of the ' Birds, &c. of 

 Donegal,^ remarks : — " Erom Colymhus glacialis and Immer being- 

 very common in this county, where they arrive the first week in 

 October, I have had good opportunities of observing them. * ^ * 

 I have every season been able to procure a number of both, and 

 have thus been enabled to select for my museum an uninterrupted 

 succession, proving, by almost imperceptible changes, the transi- 

 tion from Im/zier to C. glacialis : the former of these, in the early 

 part of their residence here, is much the more common, but to- 

 wards the end of spring, when they leave this country, the num- 

 ber of the latter is greatly increased, and though, even at that 

 period, they have not attained the perfect plumage of that bird, 

 yet, the completion of the white spots on the back, and the black 

 bands on the neck, though not yet quite perfect, are sufficient to 

 characterize the bird in such a manner that it cannot be mistaken. 

 These birds appear to vary much in size and weight ; they gene- 

 rally measure, from the tip of the beak to the end of the tail, two 

 feet nine inches, and weigh about nine pounds ; but I lately got 

 a specimen, in the plumage of Immer, measuring only two feet 

 four inches, and weighing but six pounds ; and as ] can perceive 

 no difference in its bill from that of C. glacialis, I am forced, in 

 following the indications of Temminck, to consider it as that bird, 

 though its diminutive size would have led me to consider it as the 

 young of C. arcticv^, which I have not yet ascertained in this 

 country. That these birds are well able to fly, I have had fre- 

 quent proofs ; but not so as to their pedestrian capabihties. Oue 

 which 1 go( alive and uninjured, on being placed within a few 

 yards of the water, when I was setting it at liberty, ri:maiued on 



