618 



appear to have been observed. According to Benoit, however, a single example is said to have 

 been obtained at Palermo years ago. I must not omit to state also that Bailly says that it 

 occurs in small numbers in the depth of winter on the lakes of Savoy. It is met with sparingly 

 in Southern Germany ; and Messrs. Danford and Harvie-Brown state (Ibis, 1875, p. 433) that in 

 Transylvania it is " commoner than the Great Northern Diver in winter, and solitary birds have 

 been seen during summer. Herr Csato says that both the young and adult of this, and the 

 young of C. sejptentrionalis, have been killed in autumn in the Strell valley." It has occurred in 

 the winter in Hungary and Austria; and in April 1857 a male in full summer dress was killed 

 on Prince Lichtenstein's estate, Eisgrub. I do not find it recorded from Greece or Turkey ; but 

 Professor von Nordmann states that it is abundant on the Black Sea and inland waters in 

 Southern Russia in winter, remaining till May. It appears almost doubtful if it ever straggles 

 as far south as the African coast ; for I find no record of its occurrence there beyond the state- 

 ment made by Loche that it is " very rare " in Algeria ; but he gives no instance of one having 

 been obtained there. 



In Asia, however, it is found as far east as Japan. Throughout Northern Siberia it appears 

 to be common. Von Middendorff found it breeding not uncommonly on the Boganida and 

 Taimyr, where it arrived about the 6th June (O. S.) ; and on the 26th June he found the first 

 egg. On the Boganicla he saw small young in down late in July, and on the 15th August large 

 ones still in down, without any trace of feathers. Von Schrenck obtained a specimen on the 

 Amoor; and Dr. Radde obtained three on the Central Onon in May 1856. This last explorer 

 says that he found it common in the delta of the Upper Angara, and also in the spring on the 

 rivers of Dauria and the Upper Amoor, where, however, it disappeared in May. In October he 

 again observed it on the Amoor amongst the Bureja Mountains, where he never saw it in the 

 summer. Mr. Whitely says that it is common in Hakodadi harbour in the winter, but is difficult 

 to approach on account of its extreme shyness ; but I do not find any instance of its occurrence 

 in China. 



It is rather frequent in the northern portions of the Nearctic Region, and is said to be 

 found in tolerable numbers in the Hudson's-Bay Territory. Mr. B. Ross met with it on the 

 Mackenzie River and Great Slave Lake ; and it is found off Labrador and in New Brunswick, 

 though I never saw it when shooting in this latter province. In the United States it is rare, 

 though Audubon states that it ranges as far south as Texas. On the Pacific coast it is numerous. 

 Mr. Bannister found it common at St. Michael's ; and Mr. Dall obtained its eggs at Fort Yukon. 

 Dr. E. Coues states that it is only known as a winter resident on the west coast of the United 

 States, at which season it reaches their extreme southern border, if not still further; in the 

 spring it passes north, and breeds as high as explorers have penetrated. It has been obtained 

 at least once on the Prybilow Islands, but is rare there. 



Like many of its allies, the present species differs considerably in size ; and this difference 

 in individuals has caused it to be (perhaps somewhat needlessly) divided specifically, small spe- 

 cimens having been regarded as belonging to a distinct species. This small race, if it can be so 

 called (for in a series every gradation of size is to be found), has been, on our side of the Atlantic, 

 called Colymbus balticus, and on the American side Colymbas pacificus. Dr. E. Coues, who has 

 gone most carefully into the question, states (B. of the N.W. p. 722) that, after having examined 



