710 GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 
sea-board of Europe, while it also visits the Mediterranean and 
Black Seas, and immature birds are often found on inland waters. 
It is well known in the Fzroes and Norway from autumn to spring, 
but it seldom goes far up the Baltic; and in the Arctic portions of 
Russia and Siberia its representative appears to be C. adamsi, the 
next species. The Great Northern Diver is, in fact, a western 
species, and its eastern breeding-limit appears to be in Iceland, 
where a pair or two are found on nearly every lake; it also nests 
plentifully in the southern districts of Greenland and up to about 
70° N. on both sides; while in North America, where it is known 
as the Loon, it is found in summer throughout the Fur countries 
below the Arctic circle, and down to Maine. At Great Slave Lake 
it meets with C. adams¢; in winter it ranges southward to California 
and Mexico. 
The nest—always near fresh water, and placed on an islet holm 
or the margin of a lake—is usually composed of flattened herbage 
and moss. The eggs, which are normally 2 in number, are usually 
laid in the second half of June, and occasionally on the bare 
ground; they are olive-brown in colour, with a few darker spots, and 
measure 3°5 by 2°5 in. A distinct track is often made by the bird, 
on its sliding and floundering progress to and from the water, and 
safety is usually sought by diving rather than by taking wing. The 
food consists of crabs, and largely of fish; and a Diver has been 
captured in the meshes of a trammel-net 30 fathoms below the sur- 
face of the sea. The cry—frequently uttered by night—has been 
described as a weird and melancholy howl, and at other times as a 
rather pleasant trumpeting, while a low croak is also emitted. 
The adult has the bill black ; irides crimson; head and neck 
black, glossed with purple on the upper throat and with green on 
the lower neck ; about 12 white streaks on the upper throat-band 
‘ and 18 on the lower ; mantle black with white spots, those on the 
scapulars being as broad as they are long; belly chiefly white. 
Length 30-32 in., wing 13-14 in.; males being decidedly larger 
than females and often weighing upwards of 8 lbs. here, while 
reaching 15 lbs. in America. In autumn the black throat-bands are 
lost for a time. The young bird has the feathers of the upper-parts 
greyish-black, with paler margins ; under surface dull white; bill 
brownish horn-colour. 
