32 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



URINATOR ARCTTCU8 (Lixx.). 

 6. Black-throated Loon. (i>) 



Back and under parts much as in tlie last species: upjR'r part nf head and 

 liind neck, hluish-a-sh or hoary -gray ; fore neck purplish-black, with a patch 

 of white streaks ; bill, black. The young resemble those of that species, but will 

 l)e known by their inferior size. Length, under 2J, feet ; extent, about ;? : wing, 

 l.S inches or less; tarsus, 3; bill, about 2;l. 



Hab. — Northern part of the northern hemispheic. In Xortli America 

 migrating south in winter to the northern United States. 



Xest, a hollow in the ground not far from the water's edge. 



Eggs, two, dark olive, marked with black spots towai-ds the larger end. 



This is a much uku-c iiortlieni hiifl than the i)rece(Hng, for it is 

 selflom met with iu the United States, and then mostly in wintei- 

 in immature plumage. Tn its migratorv coui-se it no doubt visits 

 the waters of Ontario, and sliould be looked for l)y those wlio have 

 <)l)])ortunitv to do so. A pair of these l)irds, found in tlie ueighboi'- 

 hoofl of Toi'onto, was inehuled in a collection that was sent to the 

 Paris Exposition in 1S(U), and I i>nce saw an indi\idual in Hamilton 

 Bay under circumstances which prevented me from shooting it, tliougli 

 1 was quite close enough, and satisfied of its identity. It was on a 

 still, dull day in tlie eai'ly part of .\pril, and the ice on the bay was 

 broken u]) and floating alxmt in loose Hakes. \\'ater-fowl of different 

 kinds were coming rapidly in and pitching flown into the open water. 

 T was out in my shooting skiff in search of specimens, when the wind 

 suddenly l)lew up fi-om the east, and I was cauglit among the flrifting 

 ice. Ev^erything in the skiff got .soaking wet. I broke l)ot]i ftaddlrs 

 trying to force a ])assage, and foi' a time was at the mei'cy of the 

 elements. While drifting along in this condition 1 came close to a 

 Black-throated Divei' in similar ti-oid)le, for it was caught among (lie 

 ice, una])le to rise, and e\idently afraid to dixc, not knowing wheic it 

 miglit come up We looked sympathi/.ingly at each other, it uttered 

 a low whining cry, and we drifted apart. I got safe to laiifl, and it 

 is to be hoped the rare l)ird reached the open water and got oil' 

 in safety. We did not meet again. Not lia\iiig seen the species 

 recently, nor heard of its capture by others, 1 consider it a very rare 

 visitor to tliese inland waters. In Dr. Wlieaton s exhaustive report 

 on the " P.irds of ( )hio," mention is made of an individual having 

 been shot in Sandusky Bay in the fall of ISSd, but the line of its 

 inigi'atorv course is ])robal)ly along the sea coast. 



T)r. Cones, when speaking in his "B>irds of thi' North West of the 



