DIVERS. 403 
the Eider Duck often breeds. The nest is made of fine sea-weeds, and after 
the mother bird has laid her compliment of eggs, she covers them with the 
soft down, adding to the heap daily until she completely hides them from 
view. 
The plan usually adopted is to remove both eggs and down, when the 
female lays another set of eggs and covers them with fresh down. These 
are again taken, and then the male is obliged to give his help by taking down 
from his own breast and supplying the place of that which was stolen. The 
down of the male bird is pale-coloured, and as soon as it is seen in the nest, 
the eggs and down are left untouched in order to keep up the breed. 
= : SS 
EIDER DUCK. —(Somaterla mollissima.) 
WE now come to the family of Colymbidz, or Divers. 
The GREAT NORTHERN DIVER is common on the northern coasts of the 
British Islands, where it may be seen pursuing its arrowy course through and 
over the water, occasionally dashing through the air on strong pinions, but 
very seldom taking to the shore, where it is quite at a disadvantage. 
The eggs of the Northern Divers are generally two in number, and of a 
dark olive-brown, spotted sparingly with brown of another tone They 
are laid upon the bare ground, or on a rude nest of flattened herbage near 
water, and the mother bird does not sit, but lies flat on the eggs. If dis- 
turbed, she scrambles into the water and dives away, cautiously keeping her- 
self out of gunshot, and waiting until the danger is past. Should she be 
driven to fight, her long beak is a dangerous weapon, and is darted at the foe 
with great force and rapidity. 
The head of the adult Northern Diver is black, glossed with green and 
purple, and the cheeks and back of the neck are black without the green 
gloss. The back is black, variegated with short white streaks, lengthening 
DD2 
