1G. THE ZOOLOGIST. 
August 1st.—In situ at the small loch, mentioned in last 
entry, by 10.40 a.m., and find the two young Divers there alone. 
I waited the livelong day—a particularly fine day, but unfortu- 
nately equally so for the midges—and it was only at 6.7 p.m. 
that one of the parents flew in with, presumably, a fish, for the 
two young ones hurried up, and the dam made as though with- 
holding it for a little before giving it to one of them—but I could 
not actually see either the fish or the delivery. From his size 
and gamey appearance this parent looked like the male. A few 
minutes after feeding the chick he flew off again. Thus for 
about seven and a half hours, as a minimum, these young Divers 
have been left alone, and unfed, by their parents. Somewhere 
about the middle of this long period they dived several times in 
a brisk and active manner, but, supposing them capable of 
catching fish for themselves, this mere pool amidst the sur- 
rounding turf, with spongy banks and a muddy or peaty bottom, 
is not likely to contain any. If fed entirely by the parents, then 
when, and how often, are they? Perhaps each morning and 
evening, for the parent has come in to-day, at the same time, 
within ten minutes, as yesterday. 
6.387.—Bird in again, and there is just the same scene, but 
the distance is too great for me to make out the details, and the 
splash made by the bird, as it came down on the water, hid 
everything for a little. LHvidently he brought in a fish, and gave 
it, presumably, to the other chick. His whole air and manner 
was as coming with a special purpose, and he was off again 
almost, if not quite, within the minute. 
In again about a minute before 7, and off at 7. He came 
down with great impetus, so that he skimmed almost the length 
of the little pool, right to the shore. This time I saw the fish 
plainly—a sand-eel, I think—and one of the chicks, scurrying 
forward before the other, received it from the bill of the parent. 
As for the sex of the latter, however, all I can say is that it is a 
fine large bird, and looks like the male. I have not the other, 
now, to compare him with. These chicks are older than the 
ones I have been watching. How much older I do not know; 
they seem still woolly, and have much the same general appear- 
ance, but when they stand up in the water, and flap their wings, 
the breast at once strikes one, for itis on the way to being white. 
I 
