GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 
175 
narrow scutella, the second toe with a free two-lobed membrane ; claws 
very small, depressed, blunt. 
Plumage short and dense ; of the head and neck very short, and blended ; 
of the lower parts blended, short, with slight gloss ; of the upper compact, 
glossy ; the feathers in general oblong, those of the upper parts with the 
extremity abrupt. Wings proportionally very small and narrow, curved ; 
primaries strong, tapering, the first longest, the second almost as long, the 
rest rapidly graduated secondaries broad, and rounded. Tail extremely 
short, rounded, of twenty feathers. 
Bill black. Iris deep bright red. Feet, tarsi, and toes, of a livid greyish- 
blue, their inner sides tinged with pale yellowish flesh-colour ; claws black, 
lighter at the base ; webs brownish-black, lighter in the middle. Head and 
neck dark greenish-blue, with purple reflections. On the throat a small 
transverse patch of white, longitudinally striated with dusky ; about the 
middle of the neck, two large patches of the same, separated in front to the 
distance of an inch, behind continuous, but when the feathers are laid close, 
appearing as if separated by a longitudinal dark band about half an inchin 
breadth. The under parts glossy white, excepting the feathers on the sides 
under the wing, which are black, each with two, three, or four elliptical 
white spots, a faint dusky band across the vent, the lower tail coverts, which 
are brownish -black tipped with white, and the axillar feathers and larger 
wing-coverts, which have a dusky streak along the middle. The sides of 
the neck at its lower part are longitudinally streaked with black and white, 
there being two oblong spots of the latter on each feather towards the end. 
The upper parts are glossy black, variegated with spots of white 1 in regular 
transverse slightly-curved lines having the convexity backwards. These 
spots vary in form and size, being small and roundish towards the neck and 
sides, larger and somewhat four-sided along the middle of the back : largest 
and rectangular on the scapulars, very small and roundish on the hind part 
of the back and tail-coverts. The upper part of the wing is similar, with 
smallish spots; the alula and quill brownish-black, a few of the inner 
secondaries only having two white spots at their extremity. Tail brownish- 
black, paler at the tip. 
Length to the end of tail, 
claws, 
wings, 
carpal joint, 
Extent of wings, 
Wing from flexure, . 
Adult Male. 
Adult Male. 
Young. 
82-J 
36 
31 i 
m 
40* 
36 
m 
' — 
294 
161 
— 
164 
37J 
52 
54£ 
loi 
— 
141 
