COLYMBIDAE—DIVERS.
273
Order PYGOPODES.
Family COLYMBIDAE.
Great Northern Diver:. Colymbus glacialis. Locally,
"Sprat-Loon."
A fairly-common visitor to the Essex coast from autumn to
spring.
Dr. Bree writes (23. 9629) : " This bird, which, in common with the other
divers, is termed by the fishermen the ' Sprat-loon,' is very common on the Colne
during winter." Mr. Hope observes that, although it is frequent in winter, he
has never seen one in Essex in summer plumage.
Black-throated Diver : Colymbus arcticus.
A somewhat rare visitor to the Essex coast during winter, when
individuals are occasionally found in an exhausted condition at
places far inland, after high winds or storms.
Henry Doubleday, in March, 1840, mentions (10) a pair of adults "shot near
Sudbury in nearly full nuptial plumage." Newman records one at Purfleet on
Jan. 21st, 1850, (23. 2760), and Morris one at Chesterford about the middle of
the same month (27a. vi. 10). Dr. Bree says (29. Nov. 20) :
" A fine specimen * * * in summer dress (with incipient signs of moulting)
was shot at Oakley, the first week in November [1875]. * * * During the six-
teen or seventeen years I have lived in this neighbourhood [Colchester], I have
never before seen a specimen of this bird in summer plumage captured in the
county,"
Mr. A. H. Smee shot an immature male at Leigh on Jan. 26th, 1870 (34. 2107).
A fine male was shot on the Blackwater, near Maldon, during the last week of
Dec, 1875 (29. Jan. 8, 1876). At Harwich, it is rare, but a male and female were
shot in the Harbour on Dec. 20th, 1876 (Kerry—34.4827). Another, showing
some black feathers on the throat, was killed there on Dec. 9th, 1889 (Id.). On
the morning of Dec. 4th, 1876, during a very extraordinary flooding, a man in my
father's employ observed a large bird swimming on the flood in a meadow close
to Pengy Mill Farm, Chignal St. James. On approaching and finding that it
did not seem inclined to fly, the man set his dog upon it, and after about twenty
minutes, managed to kill it. During this time it never once attempted to fly,
but dived frequently. It weighed 3lb. 10 oz., and appeared to be adult (44,
iv. lxxv.). Mr. Arthur Lister believes he saw one on Wanstead Park Water
in 1881 (44. iv. lxxvi.). Mr. Travis records (44. i. lxiii.) that in Nov., 1880, he
received for preservation two examples shot at Southend.