DIVER(Colymbidae), a family of natatorial birds closely allied to the grebes, but differing from them in having the front toes entirely webbed, and in their much greater size. Their legs are placed at the further extremity of the body, and both wings and tail are short. This family contains only four species, three of which are common to the northern regions of both hemispheres, while the fourth is exclusively North American. The largest species is the Great Northern Diver (Colymbus glacialis). It measures about 30 inches in length; and in its full adult plumage, the male especially is an exceedingly handsome bird. The greater part of its upper surface is black, beautifully marked with numerous rows of white spots; the head and throat are also black, the latter relieved by two collars of white, spotted with black, while the greater part of the under surface is white. The Great Northern Diver lives chiefly on the ocean, feeding on the smaller fish, as herrings and sprats, in pursuit of which it dives beneath the surface with a facility to which it owes its common name. It can remain a long time under water, and by means of its feet and wings makes extraordinary progress beneath the surface, and while thus submerged it is sometimes taken with a baited hook, and has often been caught in herring and salmon nets. It has great difficulty in rising on the wing, but once aloft its flight is both vigorous and swift; when in danger, however, it always resorts to diving in preference to flying, and from its exceeding watchfulness, and the great distance it can swim beneath the surface of the water, specimens of the Great Northern Diver are difficult to obtain. During the breeding season it retires to inland lakes, where it builds its nest within a few feet of the water’s edge, ...