188 
RED-THROATED DIVER. 
stated), but they bear no proportion whatever to 
those which occur without it. Sir. Dann, writing 
to Mr. Yarrell, says, “ The red neck disappears in 
the winter, a darker hue only marking the space 
occupied by the red.” Audubon considers that they 
are Jour years in attaining the complete plumage, 
but at the same time thinks that afterwards very 
little change takes place, having killed them in De- 
cember, January, and February, with the red throat, 
&c. perfect. 
We have no record of the Red-throated Diver 
breeding in England, nevertheless it is tolerably 
common around the coasts, entering the estuaries and 
mouths of rivers after the shoals of sprats, &c., 
and is frequent on the broads of Norfolk ; although 
writers have not stated it, we consider that their 
occurrence in the localities mentioned is principally 
during winter ; Mr. Yarrell remarks that it is very 
commonly exposed for sale in the London markets 
at that season. Along all the Scottish coasts it is 
also at this time common, sometimes coming inland 
to such lochs as are not frozen, and occasionally 
ascending rivers ; we have shot specimens in the 
Annan fifteen miles from the sea. Mr. Thompson 
also records it visiting the shores of Ireland at the 
same season, but we have no notice of its breeding 
there, though some of the wilder districts would 
seem suited for it. Its British breeding stations are 
chiefly Orkney and Shetland, by the margins of the 
fresh-water lochs; on the main land a few pairs 
may frequent some of the lochs and incubate, but 
