346 BLACK-THROATED DIVER.
served however, that in their general habits they greatly resemble those
species, for on alighting on the water, they at onee immerse their bills,-
as if for the purpose of ascertaining whether it yields a supply of suitable
food, and afterwards raise themselves and beat their wings.
This species has almost as powerful a flight as the Great Northern
Diver or Loon, and I think shoots through the air with even greater
velocity. When flying it moves its wings rapidly and continuously,
and has the neck and feet stretched out to their full length. I well recollect
that while I was standing near the shore of a large inlet in
South Carolina, one of these birds, being shot while passing over my
head at fall speed, did not, on account of the impetus, reach the ground
until upwards of twenty yards beyond me. They are equally expert
at diving, and fully as much so in eluding the pursuit of their enemies
when wounded. I saw my friend Mr HARRIS bring down one from on
wing, on which NAPOLEON COSTE, and WILLIAM TAYLOR, Captains of
the Revenue Cutter and Tender of which we had the use, paddled in
pursuit of it in a light canoe; but, although they advanced with all
the address of Indians, they proved unsuccessful, for after following it
both in the Bay of Cayo Island, and in the Bay of Mexico, for nearly
an hour, they were obliged to return without it, having found it apparently
not in the least fatigued, although it had dived sufficiently often
to travel above two miles, shifting its course at each immersion. It is
curious to observe how carefully these birds avoid the danger of sudden
storms or heavy gales. On such occasions, I have seen Divers at
once seek the lee of rocks, islands, or artificial embankments, where
they could not only remain in security, but also procure their accustomed
food. At other times, when striving against the tempesib, they
dive headlong from on wing, and are sure to reappear in the smooth
parts which sailors term the trough.
I once caught one of these birds on the Ohio, it having been incapacitated
from diving by having swallowed a large mussel, which stuck
in its throat. It was kept for several days, but refused food of every
kind, exhibited much bad humour, struck with its bill, and died of inanition.
The food of this species consists of fish, aquatic reptiles, testaceous
mollusca, and all sorts of small crustaceous animals. Its flesh
resembles that of the Loon, and is equally unfit to be eaten.
The eggs, which are sometimes two, more frequently three, average
three inches in length, by two in their greatest breadth, which
BLACK-THROATED DIVER. 347
is about a third of the whole length distant from the extremity. Their
form is that of the Red-throated Diver, which however they exceed
i n siZe. The shell is rather thick, the surface roughish, the ground
colour chocolate tinged with olive, sparingly spotted at the larger end
with very dark umber and black, and sprinkled all over with very small
dots of the same colour.
I have represented an adult male, a female, and a young bird.
GOIITMBTJS ABCTICUS, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 221 .-Lath. Ind. Omith. vol. |
p. 8 0 0 . - a . Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of Uni ted States, p. 420.
COLYMBUS ABCTICTTS, BI-ACK-THBOATED DIVEB, Mclwds. and Swaws. Fauna Borea
li-Americana, vol. ii. p. 476.
Bi-scK-Timu*«; Divkb, N i tmK Manual, vol.
Adult: Male.. Plate CCCXLVI. :iig. 1.
Kill a„ long « the head, straight, stout, higher than hroad at the
base, much comp-essed toward the end, and tapering to a point, • Upper
mandible with the dorsal line descending; and considerably convex
toward the end, the ridge convex-, narrowed toward the point, the sides
convex beyond the nostrils, the edges involute for half their length in
the middle, direct at the base and toward the end, the tip narrow and
sharpish. N^al groove rather long and narrowed; nostrils sub-basal,
linear, direct, pervious. I.ower mandible with the angle extremely
narrow, and .»Wf long, the dorsal lino ascending and very slightly convox,
tlie ridge convex and narrow, the edges sharp and involute, the
tip attenuated. • , , .,, •. .. . • ..•'., ' 1 '• •>'; ' y'
Head oimo4erate size, oblong, narrowed before. Neck rather long
and thick Eyes of moderate size. Body elongated, much depressed,
of an elliptical form viewed from above. Wings small. I'oet short,
rather large, placed very far buck ; tibia -almost entirely concealed;
tarsus ¡>hnrt, exceedingly (-..impressed, sharp^dged before and behind,
;g»ered all oyer wit!, reticulated angular scales, hind toe extremely
small, externally marginate, connected with the isecond for half its length
h | « membrane, which extends, narrowing, to the end ; the anterior to.es
'connected by articulated membranes, the fourth or outer longest, the
third a little shorter, the second considerably shorter than the third ;
all covered above with numerous narrow scutella ; the second toe with
a free two-lobed membrane, the claws very small, depressed, blunt.