198 
GREAT NORTHERN RIVER. 
all the water-courses of the United States. I have 
seen it along the whole of our Atlantic coast, from 
Maine to the extremity of Florida, and from thence 
to the mouths of the Mississippi and the shores 
of Texas.” It breeds in many parts of the United 
States, and was also found in Labrador, where “ it 
lays fully a month later." 
In the plumage of the first year, when the bird is 
known as Colymbus immer, the whole under surface 
is pure white, shading upwards on the head and 
neck to greyish brown or clove-brown ; the back and 
wings a very dark similar tint, each feather broadly 
margined with grey ; the bill pale, except along the 
culmen ; the inside of the tarsi and toes of a much 
lighter colour. In another specimen further ad- 
vanced, we have the under parts still pure, all the 
upper plumage darker, and advancing further on the 
neck and hreast, sparingly intermingled with the 
black and white spotted nuptial plumes, particu- 
larly on the wings ; tail tipped with -white ; bill 
slightly darker than the last. In a third specimen, 
where we are inclined to believe that the perfect 
plumage is going off, we have the head and neck 
dark, clouded with grey above, and very much 
mixed with white on the chin and throat, the stria- 
ted collar distinctly apparent ; the under surface 
pure white, the upper with a large proportion of 
the distinct white marking, but intermixed, particu- 
larly along the middle line of the back, with appa- 
rently new dark feathers, having grey margins as in 
the young. 
