RED-TIIROATED DIVER. 
189 
they are by no means common, and we have only 
once or twice met with the birds apparently breed- 
ing, though we were never able to discover the nest, 
which is described as placed near to the water’s 
edge, without much formation. This species is often 
taken in nets when diving after fish, and we once 
procured a specimen caught upon a newly tarred 
buoy, to which it had approached too near and was 
unable to extricate itself. There must be a large 
winter migration from the south, the numbers that 
breed on the main land and northern isles bearing no 
proportion whatever to those that frequent our coast 
in winter. In Northern Europe it seems to be ex- 
tremely abundant, breeding as in this country ; and 
both Mr. Dann and Mr. Procter write of seeing 
flocks of twenty and thirty old birds together, which 
they considered were males, the females being at 
the time occupied in incubation. In Central and 
Temperate Europe it frequents the shores during 
winter. As before remarked, Audubon has stated 
that this bird requires four years to attain mature 
plumage ; this may account comparatively for the 
numbers of birds without the red throat ; but these 
must all follow the older birds northward in spring, 
for on the coasts of Scotland at least, few are to 
be seen in this state after the month of April. Out 
of Europe the Red-throated Diver is found in North 
America, appealing on the coasts of the United 
States during winter and spring, and retiring west- 
ward to breed. Audubon found the nests in La- 
brador in June, on the banks of the fresh- water 
lakes, the nest being composed of a few blades of 
