300 THE RED-THROATED DIVER. 



giddy flight, and now, with fantastic glidings and curves, they dive towards 

 the spot of their choice. Alighted on the water, how gracefully they swim, 

 how sportively they beat it with their strong pinions, how quickly they 

 plunge and rise again, and how joyously do they manifest to each other the 

 depth and intensity of their affection! Now with erected neck and body 

 deeply immersed they swim side by side. Reynard they perceive cunningly 

 advancing at a distance; but they are too vigilant for him, and down like a 

 flash they go, nor rise again until far beyond his reach. Methinks I see 

 them curiously concealed among the rank weeds under the bank of their 

 own islet, their bills alone raised above the water, and there will they remain 

 for an hour, rather than shew themselves to their insidious enemy, who, 

 disappointed, leaves them to pursue their avocations. 



The Red-throated Diver is found, in tolerable abundance, on the sea-coast 

 of the United States during autumn, winter, and early spring, from Maryland 

 to the extremities of Maine. The younger the birds, the farther south do 

 they proceed to spend the winter, and it is rare to see an old bird, of either 

 sex, at any season to the south of the Bay of Boston. Farther eastward 

 they become more common, and they may be said to be plentiful towards 

 the entrance of the Bay of Fundy, in the vicinity of which a few remain and 

 breed. I found some in December, January, and February at Boston, where 

 I procured males, females, and young birds. The old had the red patch on 

 the throat rather darker than in the breeding season; the delicate grey and 

 white lines on the neck were as pure as I observed them to be during 

 summer in Labrador; and I have since been convinced that birds of this 

 family undergo very little if any change of colouring after they have once 

 acquired their perfect plumage, the Loon and the Black-throated Diver 

 being included in this remark; while, on the contrary, all the Grebes with 

 which I am acquainted, lose the beauty of their plumage as soon as the 

 breeding season is over. This remarkable difference between the Divers 

 and the Grebes would of itself be sufficient to separate the two genera, were 

 there not also other distinctions. The Divers, moreover, live on the sea 

 during the greater part of the year, and resort to ponds, lakes, or the borders 

 of rivers to breed; whilst the Grebes spend most of their time on inland 

 lakes, marshes, and streams. Immediately after the breeding season, as soon 

 as the 3^oun g are able to fly, the families of Divers make their way to the 

 arms and inlets of the sea, rarely entering the fresh waters until the follow- 

 ing spring. 



The Red-throated Diver is at all times an extremely shy and vigilant 



bird, ever on the alert to elude its numerous enemies. The sight of man 



seems invariably to alarm it, even in the wildest countries in which it 



breeds. I have often observed that, while yet several hundred yards from 



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