208 



THE RED-THEOATED DIVEE. 



Speckled, First Speckled, and Second Speckled Diver. 



Colpnbus septentrioiiaUs, Linn. 



Is a regular winter visitant to the coast, where it remains 

 from five to six months. 



Its earliest appearance for the season in Belfast Bay, that I have 

 noted, is the 16th of October (1843), when two with red throats 

 were seen. On October the 26th, 1831, an adult bird was killed 

 there. About the middle of October 1849, a flock of five or six of 

 these birds appeared on wing liigh in the air above Larne Lough, 

 and, by their weE-known and peculiar wild cry, attracted the atten- 

 tion of my informant, who was fisliing. As their flight was south- 

 ward when first perceived, they were imagined to be on migration, 

 but they turned and flew back in the opposite direction. Erom that 

 period until the end of the mouth when the opportunity for ob- 

 servation ceased, other little flocks, like the one described, were 

 frequently seen there on wing."^ Mr. E. Chute, when writing to 

 me on the 23rd of October, 1848, remarked — "there are now 

 several red-throated divers in Tralee Bay." They, however, doubt- 

 less arrive occasionally in the north at an earlier period, as in 

 the southern harbour of Wexford a bird in full adult suumier 

 plumage, shot on the 18th of September, 1846, was kindly sent 

 to me by Major Walker,t and in Cork harbour, two individuals 

 (of which one was adult) were seen on the same day of that 



* Mr. Darragh. 



+ It is preserved in the Belfast Museum ; — this is mentioned on account of the 

 season of the year at which the fine red throat was displayed. See Yarrell, ' British 

 Birds,' vol. iii. p. 448, 2ud edit. 



ISlr. R. Ball, writing on the 29th of October, 1844, remarked that he had re- 

 ceived, about a week previously, a living red-throated diver in pen featlicrs. " Al- 

 thougli so young that the quills were just budding, it had a little red on the neck." 

 This bird was placed on a pond in the Zoological Garden, I'hauiix I'lU'k, nublin, 

 where it was at once attackeel by a corinoraut, and, as was supposed, event ualiy kilk'd 

 bv hiui. 



