NORTHERN DIVER, 
25 
The present species is the most shy of its family: it is 
constantly on the watch, and consequently very difficult 
to approach within gunshot. During the breeding time it 
has been stated that this bird is not only more courageous, 
but even attempts to dispute possession of its place with 
an intruder; and it is a proper place to add here, that 
a wounded bird of the present species must be very care¬ 
fully handled, as the blows of its sharp edged and pointed 
beak are by no means contemptible, and are very likely to 
prove of consequence. 
The call-note of the Northern Diver is peculiar, loud, and 
very discordant, and resembles howling or whining. The 
word who, who! or whee, whee! frequently repeated, ap¬ 
proaches nearest to a description, although it is not unfre- 
quently accompanied by other sounds of varied character. 
The food of this bird consists principally of fish, which 
it catches by diving; the young birds consume insects and 
their larvae, frogs and frog spawn. The fish which the 
adult Divers consume entire, measure on an average from 
eight to twelve inches; larger sized fish they are obliged 
to divide. The large number of herrings that abound in 
some parts of our northern coast, induce this Diver to pass 
much of its winter time in some certain spots; of these, 
the greater number are, however, young birds. The fisher¬ 
men of all countries where the Northern Diver sojourns, 
are jealous of it on account of its destroying such large 
numbers of fish. 
The flesh of the Northern Diver is not fit for the table 
of a civilised person, as it is inveterately flavoured Avith 
train oil, and the smell of this disgusting fat is so strong 
even in the skin of the bird, that a bird-stuffer finds it a 
very difficult matter to get rid of its perfume after having 
handled a bird for the purpose of preserving. Soap and 
