3084 Birds. 



in that direction, frequently got a shot at him as he rose to the sur- 

 face ; when in an instant, his beautiful bright red legs were thrown up 

 and under he went, and so eluded our pursuit for a long time, till a 

 more successful shot went through his head, and laid him dead upon 

 the water. 



The Redthroated Diver {Colymbus septentrionalis). This bird is 

 very common in Norway, and may be seeu on most of the lakes and 

 fjords, with which that country abounds. I saw many of them, both 

 on the inland fresh-water lakes, and on the salt fjords : in the latter, 

 however, they seem to get high up towards the extreme ends of the 

 fjord, far into the interior of the country, and many miles from the 

 sea : here the fjord becomes much like an inland lake, and as large 

 streams and torrents pour their waters into it on every side, and espe- 

 cially at the extreme end of every arm, these waters have so great 

 power over the sea-water, that the fjords at their heads (though still 

 branches of the sea), have no taste of salt whatever in their waves : 

 here, and in the inland lakes the redthroated diver retires to breed. 

 I brought home several skins ; and I saw them sailing about on their 

 lakes, or flying over the water, with their long necks outstretched, and 

 with a wailing scream, many times ; and I can add my testimony to 

 that of others, that I never saw one throughout the summer without 

 the dark red throat. 



The Blackthroated Diver {Colymbus arcticus). I saw this beauti- 

 ful diver several times ; generally on the lakes which are to be found 

 on the mountain plateaux : nothing can exceed the dreariness and 

 coldness of these high mountain lakes ; they never seem at any time 

 in the summer to be secure from snow, and frost, and ice, and cold 

 biting winds. The blackthroated diver alone seems to prefer the 

 solitude and wildness of these lakes to those which are lower down 

 the mountains: here, too, they are seldom disturbed, or even seen by 

 man. They are magnificent birds, and swim backwards and forwards 

 upon the lake, of which they have taken possession, with great stateli- 

 ness and dignity, becoming their rank as " monarchs of all they sur- 

 vey," a right which we may conclude no one is likely "to dispute." 

 The Laps are very fond of ornamenting their dresses and tobacco- 

 pouches with the feathers of this bird and of its congener the red- 

 throated diver. I bought a small bag or pouch made of rein-deer's 

 skin, which these Laps had tanned for themselves, and ornamented 

 with lulls of feathers from these birds. 



The Bohemian Wax wing (Bomby cilia garrula). From frequent 

 inquiries of curators of Museums, and others who made natural his- 



