GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 
449 
NA TA TORES. 
COL YMBIBJE. 
GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 
COLYMBUS GLACIALIS. 
PLATE CXXII. 
I KNOW of no instance of the Northern Diver having 
O 
been detected breeding on the British Islands, although 
I have little doubt that some of them do remain to breed 
amongst the numerous isles of Shetland, upon some of 
the many grassy uninhabited islets which are there called 
holmes. Whilst on an excursion amongst them during 
the months of May and June, we frequently saw single 
birds, and in one instance came suddenly upon two to¬ 
gether, one of which was shot. The fishermen, who inha¬ 
bit these islands, could give us no information about 
them; they see the birds there all the summer through, 
and being, like their neighbours of Orkney, unable to 
say “how or where they breed/' they have fully per¬ 
suaded themselves that the old birds carry their eggs 
about with them, and hatch them under their wings. 
Mr. Low, in writing of the birds of Orkney, says, “The 
natural history of this species is somewhat paradoxical. 
Though they continue among these islands the whole 
year, I can find none to inform me how or where they 
breed/' 
A gentleman residing in Shetland, told us that he once 
saw a Northern Diver there, accompanied by a young bird. 
G G 2 
