304 COLYMBID/E. 



month in 1849.* On the 21st of April, 1847, several (immature), 

 and on the 3rd of May in the preceding year^ three birds were 

 observed in Belfast Bay. At Glengariff, Bantry Bay, they remain 

 until April, at the end of which month, three or four with red 

 throats were shot in 1849.t 



On April 16th, 1832, a living bird, which had been wounded 

 on that or the preceding day, at Garmoyle, was brought to me, 

 and a few others were at the same time procured there. Three of 

 these were in different states of plumage, as it were in that of the 

 first, second, and third year, the last almost perfect, but the red 

 throat-mark not quite 'made out/ — the adult plumage is much 

 the rarest state in which the species is obtained. I have often re- 

 marked that one of these birds is seldom seen without a second 

 being near, and although each individual requires a certain range 

 of sea to itself, several may sometimes be observed at one view. 

 On November the 11th, 1839^ about twelve thus came under my 

 notice in the last-named locality. They are very interesting birds. 

 An imaginative writer like Buffon might fancy them exhibiting a 

 guilty aspect, and, through a consciousness of their evil ways, 

 concealing under water the whole body, except the mere line of 

 back, their eye being at the same time bent wildly on the spec- 

 tator, while, as if to escape his observation, they keep repeatedly 

 diving. 



I am unwilling to abbreviate the following observations of 

 Mr. Poole, though they in part repeat what has just been stated. 



"The loons [Col^mliis se2jtentrionalis]X ^\y^c\\ frequent Wex- 

 ford harbour chiefly fish in pairs, though often more than two 

 may be seen near together, but I have never observed one bird 

 without a second being in sight. They swim at an amazing rate 

 when aware of being objects of pm'suit, though when first ap- 

 proached they show but few symptoms of timidity. When diving 

 to escape, they merely come to the surface every two or three 

 hundred yards to breathe. 1 never but once knew them to resort 



* Mr. R. Warren, jun. f Mr. R. Chute. 



\ The name of loon, or loom, is applied both to the great northern and the red- 

 throated diver in Cork harbour. — Mr. R. Warren, jun. 



