COLYMBUS, the diver, in natural his tory, a genus of birds of the order An seres. Generic character : bill toothless, subulate, straight, and pointed : throat toothed; nostrils linear ; legs fettered. The guillemot and the diver are included by Gmelin under one genus, while Ls tham considers each as furnishing a genus by itself. ',Ve shall adopt the system of the former, and notice, in what follows, the most important of these two classes, under one head.
C. troile, or foolish guillemot. These birds are, in summer, surprisingly abun dant on the coasts of England, and furnish to the sportsman an invaluable supply of experience in the art of shooting flying. Whatever numbers may be destroyed, the rest only quit their stand to take a circu lar flight, which brings them back to the spot whence the gun alarmed them, and which the death of their companions cannot induce them finally to leave. Their flesh is eaten by the Kamschatkans, though extremely ill flavoured, and their skins valued by those people as a highly ornamental dress. The eggs are said to be extremely delicate, and it is remarka ble that no two are spotted or streaked alike.
C. glacialis, or the Northern diver, is the largest of the genus, and weighs so much as sixteen pounds, measuring three feet six inches in length. This is found in various places in the North of Europe, but scarcely ever seen so far south as England, unless in winters extremely rigorous. It
is rarely seel on land, being almost per petually on the ocean, where it dives with extreme vigour in pursuit of various fishes, and with such dexterity as rarely fails of success. It can fly with rapidity, and to a great distance. In Iceland it is often found, and, while breeding, fre quents the lakes and rivers of that island. The inhabitants of the banks of the Oby prepare the skin of this bird without injuring the feathers, and ren der it convertible into compact, durable, and ornamental parts of dress, as caps, or even mantles, which are proofs against moisture, and afford extraordinary warmth.
C. immer, or the imber, resembles the last in habits and manners. It is found in the lakes of Canada, and in those of Switzerland, as well as in almost all the northern parts of r, urope. It will swim under water to the distance of a huh dyed paces, and is caught by land or in the water with extreme difficulty. By a hooked line, however, baited with its favourite fish, it has often been drawn up from a considerable depth, and thus ex hibited to many observers a singular va riety from the sportsman's usual prac tice.