on the Coast of Scotland . 299 
rulata , pentaphylla varia , acideata , hastala , Jissa and nigra, 
(Brit. Zool. vol. iv. p. 64.) 
The Brachyrhinus clavipes of Latreille (Curculio niger of 
Marsham), was here observed on the sand-hills in considerable 
abundance. 
Taking our leave of Zetland, we reached the Start-point in 
Sanda, Orkney, on the morning of the 28th. Upon landing, I 
hastened to the small lake in the neighbourhood of the light- 
house, where, thirteen years before, I had observed the Lobipes 
hyperboreus or Red Phalarope. The lake was now, however, 
dried up ; and deep rents in its massy bed indicated the extreme 
drought of the season. In the evening we came to anchor in 
Kirkwall Bay. 
In visiting a small collection of the birds of Orkney, in the 
possession of Mr James Scarth, the specimens of the red* 
throated and black-throated divers constituted the most inte- 
resting objects. Mr Scarth assured me that they were shot in 
Widewall Bay, South Ronaldshay, in the month of February 
preceding, swimming in company, while no other birds of the 
same kind were to be seen in the bay. This occurrence appears 
to give considerable support to the opinion that these two birds 
belong to one species, especially when viewed in connection with 
an observation which I made in 1808. Arriving unobserved at 
the margin of a small lake, in the unfrequented muirs to the 
north of Ronas Hill, in Zetland, I perceived a red-throated and 
black-throated diver swimming in company, and having under 
their charge a young bird. They instantly shewed symptoms 
of anxiety. Upon firing, the young bird was killed, and the 
red- throated diver was so much wounded as to prevent its flight. 
The black-throated diver suddenly plunged under water, came 
to the surface again at a little distance, and took flight, having 
escaped unhurt. I could, however, distinctly perceive the black- 
throat, as indeed I had done at the first. I now exerted myself 
to secure the wounded bird, in which I succeeded, after several 
ineffectual efforts, the bird always diving, and avoiding the shot. 
This bird proved, on dissection, to be a female, and I inferred 
that the black-throated bird which escaped was the male. 
Having stated the conclusion to which I was thus led, in a letter 
to Mr Montagu, he published an extract therefrom in the Sup- 
