GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 
199 
These three specimens were obtained from Orkney, 
and it is curious that in the bird last described the 
spotted feathers on the back and wings had the 
white spots gradually wearing out by the barbs of 
the feathers breaking off, which would soon leave 
the back of a uniform dark colour. This will be 
understood from the wood-cut at the end'of the de- 
scription, and altogether we do not think that the 
seasonal change of the divers is yet rightly under- 
stood. The adult male, in spring, or at the com- 
mencement of breeding, is a remarkably handsome 
bird, and we give Mr. Selby’s description, taken 
from one of the finest specimens we have seen in 
in our own collection, procured in spring, in the 
Firth of Forth ; we were unable- to ascertain how 
the bird had been killed, but scarcely a feather was 
wanting or out of its place : — “ Bill black, paler 
towards the tip, nearly three-quarters of an inch 
long, much compressed, tapering, the upper man- 
dible gently arched, the lower one channelled be- 
neath and deepest in the middle, the angle sloping 
gradually upwards to the point ; toraia of both man- 
dibles inflected ; head and neck black, glossed with 
purplish green ; transverse bar upon the throat, 
middle neck, collar, and sides of the upper part of 
the breast, black, the feathers having raised white 
margins, which give these parts a striated appear- 
ance ; the whole of the upper plumage glossy black, 
each feather having two pure white spots (see wood- 
cut next page) one on each side of the shaft near the 
tip, forming rows ; those upon the scapulars and 
