246 
THE DIVEK. 
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. 
Hare 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 Macclesfield : 
either from the close and glossy texture of its fea- 
thers, or its agility in diving, it was fired at nine 
times before it could be secured, and at length received 
its death- wound from a shot in the head. In the 
throat, which presented the appearance of a bag ap- 
pended to the gullet, were found fourteen large 
perch, quite whole and fresh. Its voracity was such, 
that even after it was evidently wounded, it con- 
tinued to bring up fish when diving, remaining at 
each immersion several minutes under water, and 
making its way beneath the surface from one end of 
the pool to the other. Another of these birds was 
observed for a considerable length of time on a large 
piece of water at Westwood-park, near Worcester. 
The situation of this lake was very retired, no boat 
was upon it, and scarcely any person allowed to ap- 
proach. This rare visitant seemed to excite as much 
alarm amongst the other wild fowl on the lake, as sur- 
prise amongst those who had the opportunity of seeing 
it ; for, whenever the stranger approached, they has- 
