898 THE BLACK-'niROATKl) I.OOX. 



^iiuii.t; Udims "(li\c' Irum ihc shell." ami iiiasU-r walcr lliunih' before 

 they tlrcain "f llyiiii;. Sinin :[h^^y ihe chicks are hiijughl I'lf. the ])arciUs 

 separate fur the rest uf the seaMin, the male retirint;' either in some unfre- 

 (|iientecl lake ur tu the sea-coast, to uii(ler!;i) the suniniei' moult. Ai this season 

 both birds cast their feathers, so ihoroly indeed, as to be for a time (juit" 

 incapacitated for fliyht. When the \oinit^ birds can use their wings they .-re 

 taken to salt water, and lead thenceforth an idle life, wdiose chief, or i* ■■"■ . 

 be sole, anxiety is the ckjdging of bullets. 



No. 361. 



BLACK-THROATED LOON. 



A. O. I'. Xo. I). Uavia arctica ( Linn.). 



Description. — .idult in siiimiirr: ( Somewhat similar to preceding,' species but 

 top of head, and nape, bluish (/ray) ; chin and throat black with \ inlet and ])nrplish 

 reflection'^, shading intn dull smoke-gra\ on crown antl light aslu 1 m hind neck; a 

 patch of abrniit while streaks on side of n]i]ier throat, and below this a necklace 

 of sliar]) white streaks across it: upper])arts brownish black with inirplish reflec- 

 tions; feather-^ of sca])nlars and interscai^nlars each with snbterminal scpiarish 

 spot of white, tlnis forming four |iatches ot transverse white rows; wing-coverts 

 s])eckleil with sm.aller oval white spots; below white, abruptly dertned from throat, 

 less so from black of siiles and flanks, shading tinu patch of sharp black-and-white 

 streaks on sides of neck and breast; bill and feet black; irides re<l. .Idiilt in 

 -a'intcr. and iininaturc: Corres])onding closely with similar sta.ges in (f. iniincr. 

 and distinijnishable with certainty onl\ b\ smaller size. Length 27.00 ( ()85 ) ; 

 wini; I 1.00 i_>7c).4) ; bill 2.00 ( 30.S ) ; tarsus j.Oo 16O). 



Recognition Marks. — I '.rant size; like (f. inuiicr but smaller; to]) of head 

 and na])e in summer plumage bluish gray ; ivitliont white speckling on back, as 

 distinguished from Cavia stcUata: not to be distinguished out of hand even in 

 breeding ])lumage from the next "species"; larger. 



Nestinjf. — 1 >oes not breed in A\'asliington. K est and Eggs as in preceding. 

 Av. of eggs. 3.15 x 2.03 (Sox 52,1 ), 



General Range. — Xortbern part of the .Xorthern Hemisphere; common in 

 Arctic America; rare or casual in winter in northern jjortions of the United 

 States, chielly east of the Rocky Alonnlains. 



Ranse in Washington. — Rare winter visitant — two records of occurrence on 

 Puget Sound. 



Authorities. — Rhoads, Auk. \'ol. X. Jan. '()_v ]>• i''- 



MR. SAML'KL N. RH0AL:)S was the hrst to record the i>ccnrrence of 

 this species in Washington. Reporting n])on his recoinioissaiice in iS()2, he 

 sa^■s c)f it ; ".\ female was secured at Nis(piallv and others noted there dniring 



