RING-NECKED LOON. 291 



give the name of craAvls. The nest, however placed, is 

 bulky, and formed of the vegetable substances found in the 

 immediate vicinity, such as fresh or -withered grasses, and 

 herbaceous plants. The internal part, or the true nest, 

 which is rarely less than a foot, and is sometimes fifteen 

 inches, in diameter, is raised upon the external or inferior 

 mass, to the height of seven or eight inches. Of the many 

 nests which I have examined, I have found more containing 

 three than two egofs, and I am confident that the former 

 number is that which more frequently occurs. The eggs 

 average three inches and three quarters in length, by two 

 inches and a quarter in their greatest breadth, and thus are 

 considerably elongated, being particularly narrowed from the 

 bulge to the smaller end, which is rather pointed. They are 

 of a dull greenish-ochry tint, rather indistinctly marked with 

 spots of dark umber, which are more numerous toward the 

 larger extremity. On approaching the female while sitting 

 on her eggs, I assured myself that she incubates with her 

 body laid flat upon them, in the same way as the domestic 

 Duck; and that, on perceiving the intruder, she squats 

 close, and so remains until he is almost over her, when she 

 springs up wdth great force, and makes at once for the 

 water, in a scrambling and sliding manner, pushing herself 

 along the ground. On gaining the water she dives at once, 

 emerges at a great distance, and very rarely sufifers herself to 

 be approached within gun-shot. The young are covered at 

 birth with a kind of black stiff down, and in a day or two 

 after are led to the water by their mother. They swim and 

 dive extremely well even at this early stage of their exist- 

 ence, and, after being fed by regurgitation for about a 

 fortnight, receive portions of fish, aquatic insects, and 

 small reptiles, until they are able to maintain them- 

 selves." 



The food of this species, while it remains with us, con- 

 sists of small fishes, herrings, young coalfish, sometimes even 

 young flounders, and crabs. In its stomach are generally 

 found small pebbles and gravel. Its flesh is dark-coloured 

 and rank ; but of its quality as food I am unable to speak 

 from experience, although authors condemn it. 



