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THE BIKDS OF EASTERN NORTTT AMERICA. 



Genus GAVIA. Forster. 



QAVIA IMBER (Gunn). 

 Loon. 



Common Loon. Mm Loon. Noktiikhn Diver. 



Adult in summer : lle:id aud neck 

 l)l;ick, showing green in some lights ; a 

 |ial cli of white streaked with hlack on 

 tlu! tlu'oat and sides of tlie neck ; under- 

 parts, wliite; l)ack :iiid wings, ])laclv, 

 sti-enkcHl and spotted with wliite; 

 \vliei(! tlie wliite spots oecnr tliere are 

 iisiiiilly two spots neartlie end of each 

 I'cjiMicr; sides of breast, streal<ed with 

 hlack. 



Adult in tointer and immature: 

 Head, grayish ; bacl<, grayisli ))rown 

 or diislvy l)rown, witliout spots ; niider- 

 [)iirts, wliite ; tiiroiit, oftcMi tinged with 

 gray; primaries, daiic; tail feathers, 

 tipped with gray. 



Length: 30 to 3G; wing, 12 to 

 14.50; bill, 2.60 to 3.10; height of bill 

 at nostril, about .80; tarsus, 3 to 3.60. 



Di>iirihnti(>n : Northern portion of 

 Northern Hemisphere, ranging south 

 in winter to (!ulf 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. 



Althouirh loss numeious than formerly, Loons are common on the Athmtic 

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

 on shore and lake. 



