80 
This species seldom visits the British 
Isles, except in very severe winters. In 
the summer season it inhabits the north of 
Europe, and the Arctic coasts, as far as the 
river Ob in the Russian dominions, and 
Hudson's Bay in North America, and is 
common in the intermediate dreary conn-* 
tries in the same latitudes, They seldom 
quit the sea, or are seen inland, except in 
the breeding season, when, for the purpose 
pf ovation and incutation, they repair to the 
fresh water lakes in the Ferve Isles, Spitz^ 
bergen, Iceland, Greenland, &c. on the 
shores and small islets of which they make 
their nests and rear their young. The fe^ 
male is said to lay only two* eggs, which 
are of a dirty white or stone colour: when 
she quits her nest, she flies very high, and 
on her return darts down upon it in an 
oblique direction. 
The young of the first year differ very 
considerably from the old birds ; the head 
and all the back of the neck of an ash^ 
coloured brown ; small ash-coloured and 
white dots upon the cheeks ; throat, front 
* Gmelin says the eggs are inclining to brown. 
