COLTSIBID^. 139 



Order C O L Y MBIFOEME S. 

 Family COLYMBID^. 



Tbo eggs of the Divers are coarse in texture, but have a fair 

 amount of glose. They are typically of a narrow oval shape, liut 

 long cylindrical or biconical specimens, with both ends quite alike, 

 are not uncommon. 



The eggs of all Colymhidm resemble each other very closely, and 

 size is the only character of any assistance in discriminating them. 



The ground-colour varies considerably, ranging through daik 

 olive-brown, umber-brown and russet-brown, to dark stone-colour 

 or dull greenish grey. 



The eggs are double-spotted. The underlying or shell-markings 

 are inconspicuous small spots of a puiplish grey or pale brown. The 

 surface-markings, consisting of spots and blotches, are inky purple, 

 purplish brown, or even black. These are not usually of any great 

 size, nor are they very thickly spread over the shell. They are, in 

 most cases, distinct and well-defined, and they are often more 

 numerous round the larger end than elsewhere. On a few examples 

 the markings at the larger end have a streaky appearance. 



Genus COLTMBUS, Linn. 



Colymbtis septentrionalis, Linn. 



Colymbus septentrionalis, Thien. Fortjiflanz. ges. Vog. tab. vie. fig. 1, a~e 

 (1845-54) ; Baedeker, Eier Eur. Vog. tab. 58. fig. 3 (1855-63) ; 

 Sewitson, Eggs of Brit. Birds, ii. p. 453, pi. cxxiii. fig. i (1866J ; 

 Dresser, Birds Eur. viii. p. 621 (1876) ; Seebohm 8f Harvie-Brotvn, 

 Ibis, 1876, p. 456 ; Seebohm, Ibis, 1879, p. 161 ; id. Brit. Birds, iii. 

 p. 412, pi. 35 (1885) ; id. Eggs of Brit Birds, p. 78, pi. 21. fig. 2 

 (1896) ; Grant, Cat. Birds B. M. xxvi. p. 487 (1898) ; Sharpe, 

 Sand-l. i. p. 115 (1899). 



Urinator lumme, Baird, Brewer Sf Ridgw. Water Birds N. Am. ii. p. 457 

 (1884) ; MacFarlane, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xiv. p. 416 (1891). 



The eggs of the Eed-throated Diver measure from 2-6 to 3-1 in 

 length, and from 1'7 to 1-9 in breadth. 



1. Franklin Bay, Arctic America (i?.-ff. Salvin-Godman Coll. 



MacFarlane: Henshaw Coll.). 



2. Cambridge Bay, Arctic America. Capt. Collinson [P.]. 



2. Ritenbenk, Greenland. Col. H. W. Feilden [P.]. 



2. Repulse Bay, Hudson's Bay. Dr. J. Rae [P.]. 



2. Repulse Bay, 6th July. Dr. J. Rae [P.J. 



2. Greenland. Governor Holboll. 



1 . Disco Bay, Greenland. McCormiek Bequest. 



-2. Greenland (E. Fenlker). Seebohm Coll. 



