134 



THE BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 



GENUS GAVIA. FQRSTER. 



QAVIA IMBER (GUNN). 

 Loon. 



COMMON LOON. BIG LOON. NORTHERN DIVER. 



Adult in summer : Head and neck 

 black, showing greeu in some lights ; a 

 patch of white streaked with black oil 

 the throat and sides of the neck ; under- 

 parts, white; back aud wings, black, 

 streaked and spotted with white ; 

 where; the white spots occur there are 

 usually two spots near the end of each 

 feather ; sides of breast, streaked with 

 black. 



Adult in winter and immature: 

 Head, grayish ; back, grayish brown 

 or dusky brown, without spots ; under- 

 parts, white ; throat, often tinged with 

 gray; primaries, dark; tail feathers, 

 tipped with gray. 



Length: 30 to 36; wing, 12 to 

 14.50; bill, 2.60 to 3.10; height of bill 

 at nostril, about .80; tarsus, 3 to 3. GO. 



Distribution : Northern portion of 

 Northern Hemisphere, ranging south 

 in winter to Gulf of Mexico and Lower 

 California. Breeds from Northern 

 United States northward. 



Nest and eggs: Nest, a mass of 

 grass or weeds and 'leaves, close to 

 water, more commonly on islets or 

 shores of some pond or lake. Two 

 eggs, grayish brown or greenish 

 brown, heavily blotched with dark 

 brown, and measure 3.50 x 2.25. 



Although less numerous than formerly, Loons are common on the Atlantic 

 coast during migrations, and the wild, laugh-like note is a well-known sound 

 on shore and lake. 



