of the same nest very unequal iu size ; the larger generally three inches in length and an inch and eleven- 
twelfths in breadth. They are of a deep or ])ale olive-hrown, or dull greenish-hrown, or pale brownish-green 
colour, spotted and dotted with umber, mostly at the larger end. The male continues with the female, and 
is said to take his place on the eggs occasionally. The female continues to sit crouching OA^er her eggs 
until you come very near, when she starts forward, plunges into the water, and, on emerging, usually takes 
to wing, but sometimes swims about with great anxiety, as does the male also, should be happen to be 
present. On being deprived of their eggs, they may be heard for several evenings lamenting their loss 
with loud melancholy cries. The usual notes are harsh, and someAvhat resemble those of the Gamiet. The 
young betake themselves to the water soon after birth, and continue there, under the guidance of their 
parents, until they are able to fly, when they all wing their way to the sea. The eggs are laid in the 
beginning of June, and the young fledged by the middle of August. 
“ This bird is less addicted than the Great Northern Diver to fishing close to the margin of the sea, by 
far the greater number keeping well out in the firths and lochs, and many frequenting the open sea at a 
great distance from land. In the breeding-season, when on freslnvater lakes, it is extremely vigilant and 
suspicious, SAvims off to the opposite side, with elevated head, Avhen any one appears eA^en at a distance, and 
cannot be shot without much trouble. I haA^e seen it caught on one of the hooks of a fishing-line, baited 
with a sand-eel, and it is sometimes entangled in the herring- and salmon-nets. It is very tenacious of life, 
and, although severely wounded, commonly escapes, as it can easily outstrip a boat.” 
To this I may append the following note, obligingly communicated to me by Mr. H. Stevenson, of 
Norwich, on the occurrence of the bird in Norfolk — a county which, being Avashed by the sea, has many 
localities suited to its habits, though not for breeding-places. 
“ The Red-throated Diver is both an annual and, in some seasons, a pretty numerous visitant in autumn 
and Avinter, folloAvIng the shoals of herrings along our coast Avith great pertinacity. Both young and 
old birds are obtained on the coast, as well as on the Broads, betAveen the first Aveek of October and the 
end of February, but, judging from my own notes of some thirty specimens, much less frequently on 
fresh inland waters than the Black-throated species. From frequent opportunities of examining examples 
of this bird, I cannot help coneluding that its summer dress is both retained and reassumed later than in 
either of the other species, and that the speeimens mentioned by Audubon as having red throats in February 
had not then lost the plumage of the previous summer. Whenever these birds appear very early in autumn, 
say from the first to the third week of October, some feAV birds are sure to exhibit the red throat as 
perfect as it is during the breeding-season, and others in eA^ery state of change occur at the same time ; 
but I have never observed any traces of red in specimens shot in November or any later period. 
“ It is only occasionally, hoAvever, that these birds appear early enough to present their full summer dress ; 
and this was particularly the case in the autumn of 1862 , when a most unusual number of these birds 
appeared off our coast, occasioned by the extraordinary shoals of herring at the time. SeA^eral very beautiful 
specimens Avere sent to a bird-stuffer in the City, from Avhom I purchased one, noAV in my collection, as 
perfect an example of this species in nuptial dress as I ever saAV in collections from high northern localities- 
More than a dozen were shot at this time, in the course of a Aveek or tAvo, off the Sherringham beach, 
one of Avhich, being held up by the legs, disgorged sixteen young herrings from Its eapacious throat.” 
The Plate represents an adult and tAvo neAvly hatched young, of the size of life. The plant is the common 
Juniper (Jufiiperus communis, Linn.). 
