232 
GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 
the common surface; below this a broad band of dark glossy 
green and violet, which is blended behind with the plumage of 
the back; the lower part of the neck, and the sides of the breast, 
are ribbed in the same manner as the band above; below the 
chin a few stripes of the same; the whole of the upper parts are 
of a deep black, slightly glossed with green, and thickly spot- 
ted with white, in regular transverse or semicircular rows, two 
spots on the end of each feather — those on the upper part of 
the back, shoulders, rump and tail-coverts, small and roundish, 
those on the centre of the back, square and larger, those on the 
scapulars are the largest, and of an oblong square shape; the 
wing feathers and tail are plain brown black, the latter com- 
posed of twenty feathers; the lower parts are pure white, a slight 
dusky line across the vent; the scapulars descend over the wing, 
when closed, and the belly feathers ascend so as to meet them, 
by which means every part of the wing is concealed, except 
towards the tip; the outside of the legs and feet is black, inside 
lead colour; the leg is four inches in length, and the foot mea- 
sures, along the exterior toe to the tip of its claw, four inches 
and three-quarters; both legs and feet are marked with five-si- 
ded polygons. Weight of the specimen described eight pounds 
and a half. 
The adult male and female are alike in plumage. 
The young do not appear to obtain their perfect plumage un- 
til the second or third year. One which I saw, and which was 
conjectured to be a yearling, had its upper parts of a brown or 
mouse colour; a few spots on the back and scapulars; but none 
of those markings on the neck, which distinguish the full-grown 
male. Another had the whole upper parts of a pale brown; the 
plumage of part of the back and scapulars tipped with pale ash; 
the lower parts white, with a yellowish tinge; no bands on the 
neck, nor spots on the body. 
The conformation of the ribs and bones of this species is re- 
markable, and merits particular examination. 
In the account which some of the European ornithologists give 
of their Northern Diver, we presume there is an inaccuracy. 
