22 RED-THROATED DIVER
The Red-throated Diver is at all times an extremely shy and vigilant
bird, ever on the alert to elude its numerous enemies. The sight of
man seems invariably to alarm it, even in the wildest countries in which
it breeds. I have often observed that, while yet several hundred yards
from them, they marked my approach with great watchfulness. First
they would dive and make their way to the farther end of the pond, after
which, with outstretched necks, they would remain silent and motionless,
until I approached within about a hundred yards, when, instead of diving
again, as the Loon always does, they at once, with a single spring, rose
from the water, and ere I had proceeded a few yards, they were already
eight or ten feet above it. If I crept towards them through the tangled
mosses or shrubs, they would swim about with their heads elevated, as if
determined to make their escape on the appearance of imminent danger.
In many instances, my party observed this species in small flocks of five
or six in the same lake, when it happened to be of considerable extent;
and as this was during the height of the breeding season, we concluded
that these associated birds were barren, as I ascertained that males and
females, when once paired, remain together until their young are able to
fly, when they part company, until the next pairing season, which is about
the first of March.
This species begins to breed in Labrador in the beginning of June,
and about a fortnight earlier along the Bay of Fundy. The numerous
nests which our party found in the former district were all placed on
small sequestered islands in the middle of lakes or large ponds of fresh
water, rarely more than one mile distant from the sea-shore. These nests
consisted merely of a few blades of rank grasses loosely put together, and
were quite flat, without any down to warm or conceal the eggs at any period
of incubation. The nest was placed within a few feet of the water,
and well-beaten tracks, such as are made by otters, led to it. Whenever
the birds went to this spot they walked nearly erect in an awkward manner,
but when they sat in their nest they laid themselves flat on the eggs,
in the manner of a Goose or Duck. In no instance did they alight on the
islands, but always on the water, at some distance, when, after examining
all around them for a while, they crawled silently out, and moved to the
spot which contained their treasure.
Having been told that the Red-throated Diver covers its eggs with
down in the manner of many ducks, I was surprised to find the assertion
incorrect, and having killed several individuals during the period of in-
RED-THROATED DIVER. 23
cubation and immediately after it, I carefully examined them', and found
all of them fully covered with down, they being, in this respect, quite
different from the Eider Duck, the Velvet Duck, the Harlequin Duck,
and other species of that family, nay even from the Black Guillemot, of
which I shall speak in the present volume. Probably it is on account of
those birds breeding much farther north, that, according to Dr RICHARDSON,
they there line their nest with down. We also found the Colgmbus glacialis
incubating without any in its nest. The idea generally entertained
that this species never lays more than two eggs I found equally incorrect,
for of five nests, two contained two eggs each, two had three each, and
the fifth had three young birds. The eggs measure 3 inches in length
by 1 1 in breadth, and are of an elongated elliptical form, nearly equally
rounded at both ends; they are of a deep olive-brown colour, irregularly
marked with spots of a darker dull brown. The male incubates as well
as the female, and both are extremely solicitous about the safety of their
young, which betake themselves to the water on the day succeeding that
of their escape from the egg, and are from the first most expert swimmers
and divers. Two of the young were shot by Captain EMERY, having
been easily approached in the absence of their parents, at which he had
shot without success, they not having yet learned from experience the danger
of the proximity of man. They dived beautifully, and swam with
great buoyancy, inclining their necks forwards, in the manner of the old
birds. This was on the 5th July 1 8 3 3 . On the 15th of the same month,
THOMAS LINCOLN and my son JOHN WOODHOUSE, saw several young
ones, which, although quite small, were equally expert at diving. When
swimming by the side of their mother they floated high, with the neck
quite erect, while the old bird swam deep, with her neck inclined forward.
When the little ones dived, they moved under the water like so many
turtles, and at last were caught on the bottom of the pond, which was
small and shallow, by placing the gun-rods upon them. So averse from
moving are the old birds when sitting on their eggs, that they will not
bestir themselves until in imminent danger, on which, however, they
scramble to the water, dive, and, on emerging, immediately rise on wing
without uttering any note. The male only is noisy on such occasions,
and more especially when it returns from afar to its mate, when it evinces
its satisfaction by calling aloud, as it repeatedly passes and repasses over
the spot, and then alights in a pompous manner on the water.
The sexes differ materially in size, the male birds being much larger