54 GREAT NORTHMEN DIVER OR LOON.
to a: point. Upper mandible with the dorsal lino descending and slightly
convex towards the end,the ridge c:onvc'x, narrowed towards the point,
the sides eon^x beyond the nostril^ "the edges-sharp and considerably
inflecteil',* the tip narrow and sharpish. Nasal' groove; short, .nostrils
basal, linear, direct^porvious. Lower rriatidible with the nngli'Vii«-
t remedy narrow,- and -extending b(|fon'd the middle, the dorsal line
straight aiid Sloping upwards to the point, tho-ridge convex. and narrow,
the edges sharp and involute.'; the tip attenuated.
"'Head of moderate size, oblong, narrowed before. Neck rather
long and thick. Kyes of moderate size. ®ody\elo»g?ated, much depressed,
of an elliptical form viewed from above: Wings small. Feet
short, rather larger-placed very-far back; tibia almost entirely concealed
; tarsus short, exceedingly compressed, sharp-edged before and
behind, covered all over with reticulated angular scales ; hind toe extremely
small, connected with the second liyni'.vc.ry smKll'Miicnibrano;
the anterior toes xlnifcd by articulated membranes,nhe'.fourth or outer
longest, the third a-'little shorter, the feg-mul Vonsiderably shorter than
t h e lliinl, all covered above with very numerous narrow scutc.lla, the
second toe with a free two-lofied membrane ; claws very'small, depressed,
blunt.
Plumage short and dense; of 'the head and neck very'¡short, and
Bended; of the lmvor'pai-ts blended, short, with s%lit- gloss; of the
uppef !cb>pact, glossy; the feathers1 in geniral'-oblong,'those of the
upper parts with the extremity abrupt. Wings proportionally vory
small and narrow, carved ; primaries strong, tapering, the first longest,
fli^cond almost as long, t h e rest -rapidly graduated secondaries
broad, and rounded. Tail extremely short, rounded,«f twenty feathers.
Bill black. Iris deep bright red. • • # t a r s i , aitd toes, of -a 'livid
greyishrbltie, their inner sidW tinged with pale yellowish llosh-colour;
claws black, lighter at the base ; webs .brownish-black, lighter in the
middle. Head and neck dark greenish-blue, with ptiiple,,defections.
On the throat aifsmall transverse patch of white^MngitadinaUy striated
with dusky; about the middle of tlumeck, two large patches of the
same, .separated in front to the distance of an inchgbehind continuous,
but when the feathers are kid (Jose, appearing as if separated a ,
longitudinal dark band about half an inch in breadth. The under parts
glossy white, excepting the foatherson the sides under the wing, which
axe black, each with two, three, or four elliptical white spots, a faint
GREAT IfORTHERN DIVER OR LOON. 55
dusky band across t h e vent, t h e l o w e r tail-coverts, .which are brownishblack
tipped with white,!and the axillar feathers and larger wing-coverts,
which have, a dusky streak along the .middle. , T h e sides of the
neck.at its lower-past;are longitudinally streaked with black and white,
these, being two oblong .spots of the latter on each feather towards the
end. The upper parts are glossy black, variegated with spots of white,
in regular.transv.er.se s!igl>ly,curvisd?Jincs ktving the: convexity back»
wards. .These spots vary in form and size, being small and. roundish
towards the ncck and sides, larger and somevvhat.Jbur-side.d along the
middle of the .back: largest and. rectangular: on the scapulars, very
small and roundish on, the hind part,of.the back and tail-coverts. The
upper' part of the wing is similar, with smallish spots; the .alula and
quill brownish-black, a few of the inner secondaries onl} having two
white, spots at their extremity. Tail brownish-black, paler at the tip.
Ailalt Male. Adult Male. Young.
,Length to the end of tail, • 32? $6 ,
. 314 , I ..."^.ixiir;; W?*
carpaljoint, — • - B H S By
Wing |j|ifPtflexnre, . . I 15J — '"¡ftt.
JDeptk of'body, . — . —
Breadth, , . . • „• — : , —
Bill along the ridge, ^ . ' y ¿¿j^Jt&m ' t ^ S j i —
¡H©|a| pe-line» • ' I * H• '•' —I I ' I 'J .1 H H
.i^^S»!»: I .!-•>'-> I I H I . — "
Hind toe, t .. ... •, • — .
ItS ClaW, . . . . . , :
Outer toe and claw, , . . (— M ~
' ' ^ V / . . . — 4J " — .
Inner, ... « .i. . \ . . . .. —- ^ %% . . ' , ! .. - ~
Wing from flexure, „,,. , • '^i —
Weight^ , i 8| ,9
The female is generally smaller, but in all other respects resembles
the male. Weight' 10 lb. 11 oz.