308 



LOON. 



K. 2.— Arct. Zool. 2. No. 439 Don. Br. Birds, 3. t. 58.— Lath. Syn. 6. p. 



p. 337. l.—Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 17.— Wale. Syn. 1. 1. 90.— Lewin's Br. Birds, 

 6. t. 226.— Flem. Br. Anim. p. 132.— Wils. Amer. Orn. 9. p. 74. 



FEMALF. 



Colymbus Immer. Linn. Syst. 1. p. 222. 6 GmeL Syst. 2. p. 588 Lath. 



Ind. Orn. 2. p. 800. 2. — Colymbus maximus Gesneri, Eaii, Syn. p. 126. 8. — 

 Will. p. 260. 3.— Mergus major, Briss. 6. p. 105. 1. t. 10. f. 1.— lb. 8vo. 2. p. 

 389. — Le grande plongeon, Buff. Ois. 8. p. 251. — Ember Goose, Sibbald, Scot. 



21.— Imber Diver, Br. Zool. 2. No. 238. t. 84.— Arct. Zool. 2. No. 440 Will. 



(Angl.) p. 342.— Lath. Syn. 6. p. 340. 2 Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 17 Wale. 



Syn. 1. t. 99.— Don. Br. Birds, 4. t. 99 Lewin's Br. Birds, 6. t. 227.— Mont. 



Orn. Diet. 1. 



Provincial. — Gunner. Greater Doucker. 

 This species is the largest of the genus, sometimes weighing as much 

 as fifteen or sixteen pounds ; length near three feet and a half. The 

 bill is black, four inches and a half long ; irides purplish ; the head and 

 neck deep velvety black ; on the throat are several parallel white lines, 

 formed of raised feathers ; on each side the neck a large portion of the 

 same, almost uniting behind and before ; the sides of the breast streaked 

 with black and white lines ; the back, scapulars, and wing coverts, are 

 black, marked with white spots in a most elegant manner ; those on 

 the back and rump are small and round, the others are larger and of a 

 square form, disposed in rows ; the quills and tail are black ; the breast 

 and under parts of the body white, with a few black streaks under the 

 wings ; legs black. The female is not so large, and the white mark- 

 ings on the neck are less distinct. The variation which has been ob- 

 served in the plumage of these birds, has very justly been considered 

 to be owing to its not arriving at perfection till the second, or perhaps 

 the third year. The northern diver is rarely met with in the southern 

 parts of England; seldom leaving the water; but instances are re- 

 corded of its having been taken alive on land. In the spring of the year 

 1797, one of these birds was taken near Penzance, in Cornwall, at 

 some distance from water. It appeared incapable of raising itself from 

 the ground; it did not seem to have any defect, as it lived for six 

 weeks in a pond, and was supplied with fish ; but for want of a suffi- 

 cient quantity, was starved, as was apparent when we dissected it for 

 preservation. It is not uncommon in Iceland and Greenland, where it 

 breeds in the fresh waters, and is said to lay two large eggs, of a pale 

 brown-colour, in the month of June. Is plentiful in Norway and some 

 parts of Russia. In the latter country, as well as in some others, the 

 skin is dressed and used for various sorts of clothing. It is tough, and 

 well covered with soft down. 



The female has been described as a distinct species, under the name 

 of imber diver. In length she measures two feet ; bill four inches long, 

 of a dusky brown-colour ; the top of the head and back part of the neck 

 brown ; forehead, sides of the neck and cheeks, speckled with brown ; 



