DIVER. 80 



Northern Diver, Gen. Syn. vi. 337. Br. Zool. ii. 327. pi. 84. Id.fol. 139. pi. K. 2. 

 Id. 1812. ii. 105. pi. 29. f. 2. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 439. ZJeto. ii. pi. p. 183. Z.eu>. 

 vi. pi. 226. Wale. pi. 90. Don. pi. 58. Pu//. Dors. p. 17. Orn. Diet. $ App. 

 Frankl. Narr. App. p. 703. Graves, ii. 



THIS Species is the largest of the Genus, sometimes weighing 

 sixteen pounds, and three feet six inches in length, extent four feet 

 eight.* The bill four inches and a half long, and black ; head and 

 neck deep black, appearing like velvet; under the chin a patch of 

 white, marked with several parallel lines of black; on each side of 

 the neck a large portion of the same, elegantly marked with black 

 lines, like the first, almost uniting at the back part; sides of the 

 breast much the same, but the lines not so numerous ; hind part of 

 the neck, back, wing coverts, and scapulars, black, marked with 

 round white spots, which grow larger as they are farther downwards; 

 and on the scapulars, and part of the larger coverts, the spots are of 

 a square form, placed in rows; quills and tail black; wings short, 

 breast and belly white ; legs black, and placed too far behind to be 

 of use in walking. 



The female is less, and the ring on the neck not so distinct. The 

 young bird - ]" does not soon gain the complete plumage, as it arrives to 

 the full size without having it ; hence we suspect, that the bird does 

 not get to perfection till the second year, if not longer. 



This Species inhabits several parts of the North of Europe, but 

 is not very frequent on our shores, or ever to the southward, except 

 in severe winters; for the most part seen on the open sea, where it 

 is continually diving^ for fish, which it does with great agility, and 

 flies both high and well : is now and then seen on land, of which 

 several instances may be mentioned ; one taken alive among the 



* Col. Montagu thinks this weight and measure to be exaggerated, having never met 

 with one weighing more than ten pounds, and an old male measured only two feet eight 

 inches. 



f Young birds are without any white spots. This rule seems to hold good in all the 

 Genus.— Faun. Groenl. 



% When pursued on the water, it escapes for the most part by diving. 



