The Dobchich Colymbus minor. '
Numb. LXXVI.
TH E Shape of its Body is like that of the 2W, but lefler by almoft a third Part;
its Weight was feven Ounces and three quarters; Length, from the Tip of the
P ill to the End of the Claws, ten Inches and a half; Breadth, when the Wings were
extended, was fixteen Inches and a half; its Bill, from the Point to the Angles of the
Mouth, is one Inch, ftreight, {harp, almoft like a 'Thru/h’s Bill, thicker at the Head,
and leffening by Degrees to the Point; the upper Chap black, excepting only its Tip
and Sides, which are of a white or pale yellow, as is alfo the whole lower Mandible.
The Tongue is long, {harp, like the Bill, and cloven ; the Noftrils are a little remote
from the Feathers; the Eyes great with hazel coloured Irides; the whole Body is insetted
with a thick and foft Plumage or Down, efpecially on the under Side; its Colour
on the Back is a dusky or dark brown, on the Belly a white or rather filver Colour;
the Chin white, the Head and Neck darker than the Belly, lighter than the Back; the
Throat and Sides of the Neck are a little red; the lower Belly of a fordid dusky Colour
; the Thighs have a little mixture of red ; the Neck is {lender, fcarce [an hand’s
Breadth long; its^Wings are fmall and concave, each having twenty fix Quill-Feathers,
the twelve outmoft are of a moufe dun or blackiih brown; the interiour to the twenty
third party coloured, the outer Webs being dusky, the inner partly white, the white
Part being in the nearer to the Body, broader, in the more remote Feathers, narrower ;
as for the letter Row of Wing-Feathers, thofe aboye are black, thofe beneath white}
jt hath no Tail at all, but yet hath the Rump-glandules, though letter than ordinary,
out of which fprings a Bruih, or Tuft of Feathers, as in other Birds; the Legs are fi-
tuate very backwards at the End of the Body, made rather for fwimming than walking
(fo that it cannot walk but with the Body ereil almoft perpendicularly) compreffed
or flat, of a fordid green Colour, ferrate behind with a double Row of Afperities;
the Soles of the Feet are black; the Feet are divided into three broad Toes, finned on
each fide with lateral Membranes, having thin, broad, blunt Claws like human Nails, yet
are the Toes joined together by intervening Membranes from the Divarication to the
firft Joint; it hath a fmall back Toe, finned in like Manner on each Side, two blind
Guts o f a moderate Length, no Labyrinth on the Wind-pipe, a membranaceous Stomach,
ftrong mufculous Thighs, by the help whereof it fwims very fwiftly, diving down to
the Bottom, and riling again at Pleafure. , From the Make and Conformation of its
Parts it moves with more Eafe and Expedition under Water; than either upon the Surface
of the Water, or upon the Land. As foon as it is rifen above Water, it holds up
its Head, looks about it, and with wonderful Celerity plunges it felf under Water again;
it can hardly raife itfelf up out of the Water, but whin it is once gotten upon the
Wing, it can hold out flying a long time. The Stomach of one diffeited, was full of
G r a f s and Weeds; Bellonius faith,' it willingly feeds upon Fifties, being roafted fmells
very ftrong, and is not very agreeable to theTafte.
.1!»