394 DIVERS. 



of the winter. According to Richardson, these birds frequent 

 the shores of Hudson Bay up to the extremity of Melville Pen- 

 insula, and are also abundant on the interior lakes, where they 

 breed. Mr. Audubon found them nesting on the coast of 

 Labrador near small freshwater lakes. Their food is similar 

 to that of the preceding species; Fleming says that they 

 breed in Zetland and the Orkneys, In Greenland and Iceland 

 they also lay among the herbage on the shores contiguous to 

 water, and make a nest of moss and grass, lining it with down. 

 The young of this species, called the Cobble, is frequently 

 seen in England in the winter in bays and inlets, and some- 

 times in freshwater rivers and lakes. In the river Thames 

 this bird attends the arrival of the sprats, on which it feeds, 

 and is hence known to the fishermeri by the name of the Sprat 

 Loon. From its diving habits it is frequently taken in the 

 fishing-nets, to which it is attracted by their contents. It flies 

 well, and dives and swims with remarkable dexterity, and 

 while proceeding in the air is said to be sometimes very noisy. 

 At Hudson Bay the young fly before the end of August, and 

 the whole commence their migrations in the course of Sep- 

 tember. These birds are common also to the Baltic and the 

 White Sea, and are found in the inclement regions of eastern 

 Asia, as in Kamtschatka and Siberia. 



This species breeds from the lower fur countries to the Arctic, 

 and in winter migrates south to the Middle States, and casually to 

 North Carolina. 



