WATER BIRDS. 



41 



less common in summer in the more thickly settled parts of the state, al- 

 though it probably nests occasionally in every county. Toward the north 

 it nests in undiminished numbers and during the migrations is so abundant 

 in some places as to be a serious annoyance to the fishermen in 

 whose nets it is often entangled and drowned. Mr. W. A. Oldfield of 

 Port Sanilac, has sent us specimens of this species and the Horned Grebe 

 taken in herring nets at that place; and the late Dr. J. W. Velie of St. Joseph 

 told us that it was often caught in the nets there, particularly in the spring. 

 The nest is commonly a hollow in the top of a heap of matted water 

 plants of various kinds, sometimes on the mainland, more often on small 

 islands in inland lakes, most often of all on the top of a muskrat house 

 at the edge of a pond or in some large flooded marsh. 



^=^ ^ ^ - 



Fig. 4. Loon. 

 From Nuttall's Ornithology (Chamberlain). 



Little, Brown & Co. 



The eggs are invariably two, olive-brown more or less spotted with 

 darker brown and black. They average 3.52 by 2.27 inches. In the south- 

 ern part of the state the eggs are often laid the first week in May, but eggs 

 are also found as late as the last week in June. Dr. Dunham writes that 

 in Kalkaska county he has taken the eggs as early as May 12. 



The bird feeds entirely on fish, dives at the flash of the gun, and after 

 it has been shot at a few times becomes extremely wary and makes long 

 trips under water often putting only the bill above the surface in order 

 to breath. 



It is said to carry its young on its back during flight from one pond to 

 another, or from the nesting pond to the open lake, but this statement 

 needs confirmation. Dr. Gibbs states that he has seen the old one carry- 

 ing the young on its back when swimming in the lake. 



The call of the Loon is loud but not unmusical; as commonly heard, 

 however, at night and often in stormy weather, it has something peculiarly 

 weird and uncanny about it. 



