THE RED-THROATED DIVER. 301 



them, they marked my approach with great watchfulness. First they would 

 dive and make their way to the farther end of the pond, after which, with 

 outstretched necks, they would remain silent and motionless, until I 

 approached within about a hundred yards, when, instead of diving again, as 

 the Loon always does, they at once, with a single spring, rose from the 

 water, and ere I had proceeded a few yards, they were already eight or ten 

 feet above it. If I crept towards them through the tangled mosses or shrubs, 

 they would swim about with their heads elevated, as if determined to make 

 their escape on the appearance of imminent danger. In many instances, my 

 party observed this species in small flocks of five or six in the same lake, 

 when it happened to be of considerable extent; and as this was during the 

 height of the breeding season, we concluded that these associated birds were 

 barren, as I ascertained that males and females, when once paired, remain 

 together until their young are able to fly, when they part company, until the 

 next pairing season, which is about the first of March. 



This species begins to breed in Labrador in the beginning of June, and 

 about a fortnight earlier along the Bay of Fundy. The numerous nests 

 which our party found in the former district were all placed on small 

 sequestered islands in the middle of lakes or large ponds of fresh water, 

 rarely more than one mile distant from the sea-shore. These nests consisted 

 merely of a few blades of rank grasses loosely put together, and were quite 

 flat, without any down to warm or conceal the eggs at any period of 

 incubation. The nest was placed within a few feet of the water, and well- 

 beaten tracks, such as are made by otters, led to it. Whenever the birds 

 went to this spot they walked nearly erect in an awkward manner, but when 

 they sat in their nest they laid themselves flat on the eggs, in the manner of 

 a Goose or Duck. In no instance did they alight on the islands, but always 

 on the water, at some distance, when, after examining all around them for 

 awhile, they crawled silently out, and moved to the spot which contained 

 their treasure. 



Having been told that the Red-throated Diver covers its eggs with down 

 in the manner of many Ducks, I was surprised to find the assertion incorrect, 

 and having killed several individuals during the period of incubation and 

 immediately after it, I carefully examined them, and found all of them fully 

 covered with down, they being, in this respect, quite different from the 

 Eider Duck, the Velvet Duck, the Harlequin Duck, and other species of that 

 family, nay even from the Black Guillemot. Probably it is on account of 

 those birds breeding much farther north, that, according to Dr. Richardson, 

 they there line their nest with down. We also found the Cotymbus 

 glacialis incubating without any in its nest. The idea generally entertained 

 that this species never lays more than two eggs I found equally incorrect, 



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