614 



able, I have known strangers, especially townsmen, who stayed in our camp for the fishing, to be 

 kept awake most of the night by it ; and one gentleman in particular used to compare it to a lot 

 of demons let loose torturing children. 



The Great Northern Diver flies swiftly, the flight being direct, and usually at a considerable 

 altitude ; but it appears to take wing unwillingly, and when pursued prefers to trust to its great 

 powers of diving and swiftness in swimming. It dives extremely well, often remaining some 

 time under the surface, and swims with great speed, the body being much submerged ; and when 

 alarmed it gradually sinks itself so deep in the water that the head and neck only are visible. 



It feeds on small fish of various kinds, which it captures by diving ; and on the coast it is 

 said also to devour small crabs. 



The nests I have seen were placed on small islands or masses of half-floating vegetable 

 matter, tolerably close to the edge of the water, and consisted of a mass of grass and aquatic 

 plants heaped together ; and between the nest and the water there was a tolerably broad path or 

 slide, along which the old bird crawled on its way to and from the water. When we approached 

 the nest the female would shuffle off, usually in obedience to an alarm-note uttered by the male, 

 and scramble down to the water, diving at once, and not emerging until she had traversed some 

 distance, when she at once joined her mate. The eggs, two or three in number, are dull brownish 

 olivaceous, blotched with blackish brown, and vary in size from 3f§ by 2 4 % and 3-jf by 2^ to 

 3f& by 24J inches. 



I have not included Colymbus adamsi as being specifically identical with the present species. 

 Dr. Coues separates it only as a form or subspecies; bat it appears to differ constantly in mature 

 dress by having a light yellow bill, being bluer on the head and neck, and the white spots on the 

 back are larger and longer than broad. I have, however, not had a series of specimens to com- 

 pare, and therefore cannot speak from personal observation. I may here remark that Meyer 

 (/. c), under the name of Colymbus atrogularis, confuses the Great Northern and Black-throated 

 Divers, his description of the adult bird being undoubtedly referable to the former species, 

 whereas his description of the immature bird and his plate evidently refer to the adult of 

 Colymbus arcticus. 



The specimens figured are the old male and the young bird above described. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, cJ ad. Calais, Maine (G. A. Boardman). b, $ ad. Meuzies' Lake, New Brunswick, April 24th, 1862 (H. E. D.). 

 c,juv. Point Lepreaux. 



E Mus. H. B. Tristram. 



a, ad. Norway. 



E Mus. H. Seebohm. 

 a,6juv. Hakodadi, Japan, January [Blakiston). 



