J 50 THE INHABITANTS OF THE SEA. 



the body and wings are elegantly diversified with white, black, 

 and brown feathers." (Harvey, Sea Side Book.) 



The family of the Grebes and Divers approximates the duck 

 tribe in the order of creation, but is distinguished by a long 

 conical bill, and the position of the legs, which are placed so far 

 back towards the tail, that when the bird leaves the water it is 

 obliged to stand nearly erect to preserve its equilibrium. The 



Great Ccested Grebe. 



toot in the grebes is only partially webbed, the toes being merely 

 Lobed or finned ; but the divers are completely web-footed, . 

 like the duck. These latter do honour to their name, being 

 most expert and indefatigable divers, remaining down some- 

 times for several minutes, and swimming rapidly under the 

 water. The Ked-throated Diver preys much on the fish en- 

 tangled in the nets, but is often caught himself in his rapid 

 pursuit of the fish ; thus affording a strange example of a bird 

 caught under water. 



The Arctic Diver enjoys among the Norwegians the reputa- 

 tion of being a most excellent weather-prophet. * When the 

 skies are big with rain, the birds fly wildly about, and make the 

 most horrible hoarse noise, fearing that the swelled waters 

 should invade their nest ; on the contrary, in fine weather, their 

 note is different, and seemingly in an exulting strain. For this 



