THE DIVER. 
421 
species, as well as some others, such as the Sea-Lark, already 
mentioned, # when alarmed, carries off its young under the 
wing. We once saw an old one, basking in the middle of a 
large sheet of water, with one or two young ones, apparently 
not long hatched, swimming round her. By the assistance 
of a telescope, the little downy Divers might he seen, enjoying 
their new existence ; at one moment darting along the sur- 
face, and then scrambling on the mother’s hack, who floated 
motionless, and continued to plume herself, while the brood 
gambolled about her. One of the largest of this genus, the 
Great Northern Diver ( Colymbus glacialis ), may also be 
called a British Bird, though but a rare visitant, preferring 
the more remote shores of the north, where it passes its 
existence as far as possible beyond the reach of men ; not, 
however, that it can escape the snare of the hunter, — numbers 
being taken by the persevering efforts of those who know the 
value of their skins, which, when tanned and dressed, make 
excellent caps and jackets. But although the poor birds 
cannot avoid falling a prey to their pursuers, they contrive so 
effectually to seclude themselves from observation, during the 
breeding- season, that, in the Orkneys, and other northern 
islands which they frequent, the inhabitants really believe 
that they make no nests at all, but, never leaving the sea, 
hatch their eggs under water, in a hole beneath the wing, 
prepared by nature for that purpose, — a belief, no doubt, 
encouraged by their being seen, like our Crested Grebes, 
taking their young upon their backs, or under their wings, 
for protection. 
Rare as these birds are, they sometimes, either by choice 
or stress of weather, wander from their dreary northern 
abodes, and have been met with, very unexpectedly, not far 
from the habitations of men. For instance, a few years ago 
one was shot on Styperson Pool, in Adlington, near Maccles- 
field : either from the close and glossy texture of its feathers, 
or its agility in diving, it was fired at nine times before it 
could be secured, and at length received its death-wound from 
See page 331. 
