Oct. 1888.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



147 



lowod pile of decaying reeds and rushes, four 

 or five inelies in diameter, and scarcely raised 

 above the surface of the water upon wliidi it 

 (ioatcd. In a nunil)er of instances they were 

 but a few feet distant from the nest of the Coot, 

 (Fiilicn aiiD'ricdiia), which abounded. Kvery 

 Grebe's nest discovered contained three eggs, 

 which iu most instances were fresh, but in 

 some nests were considerably advanced. Tliese 

 vary but little in shape, are considerably 

 elongated, one end being slightly more pointed 

 than the other. They vary in length from 1.70 

 to l.SO, and in breadth 1.18 to l.:i;i. The color 

 is a faint yellowish-white, usuallj' much stained 

 from contact with the nest. The texture is 

 generally quite smooth, in some instances 

 roughened by a chalky deposit." Jlr. Henshaw 

 also states that " during the three days spent 

 iu the vicinity, the parent birds did not visit 

 their nests," but as the nests were covered with 

 reeds and other vegetable matter there can he 

 no doul)t but that the artificial heat produced, 

 has much to do with the process of incubation. 

 .Some writers claim it is done to hide the eggs 

 from the sight of natural enemies. There can 

 be no doubt but both theories are correct. 



4. Pudilymbus podiceps (Linn). Pied-billed 

 Grebe, Summer resident; not rare; abundant 

 during migration. Observed by Brenninger 

 and .Smith of Loveland, Xo record of its nest 

 having been taken, but no doubt it breeds in 

 the San Luis valley, the lakes in the vicinity of 

 Loveland, and tlu! l.ikes and sloughs of north- 

 eastern Colorado. In winter it retires as far 

 south as northern South America. Eggs from 

 live to ten, nest as usual with this family. 



5. Urinator imher (Gunn). Loon. Tran- 

 sient visitant, marked by Anthony .as "not 

 rare." Often found in company with P. 

 podicepx. U. lummi' should be looked for, as it 

 is likely to occur as a migrant. 



fi. Stcrforririiis pdrasiticu!! (Linn). Parasitic 

 .lacger. Kntered in Drew's list upon Mr. 

 liidgway's authority. May occur as a migrant, 

 but rare, if at all of late years. 



7. Lams ar<icntnlns smUhmmiainis (Coues). 

 American Herring Gull. Migratory; not com- 

 mon. Heported by Anthony and Brenninger. 

 In the •' .\uk"* Mr. Smith. .Ii., nt Denver has 

 the following: " A young bird of this species 

 was shot Nov. 17, 188.'{, and is now in the 

 collection of Mr. Anthony. The persons who 

 shot the bird said that many othei- Gulls were 

 seen, but whether tliey were of this species is 

 questionalile. It was shot on a small lake a few 

 miles from the city." 



•" Auk," Vol. Ill, No. 2, I). 284-286, 188C. 



8. I.arus caJifornicns (Laur). California 

 Gull. Jieported by Brenninger as a transient 

 visitant. I know of no other record in the 

 state. Breeds farther north, and is only 

 abundant at low latitudes in fall and winter. 



!). Larus dvlavaronsis (Ord). King-billed 

 Gull. Migratory ; common. This species was 

 noticed by nearly all the members and it is 

 found througli the entire state. Woodbury 

 found it at Monte Vista in the mountains and 

 Drew reports it at 9,500 feet. 



10. Lams atricUla (Linn). Laughing Gull. 

 Keported by Capt. P. M. Thorne, U. S. A. from 

 Fort Lyons. This is the only record which I 

 lind for the state, Dr. Coues in •' Birds of the 

 Northwest" throws discredit upon its being 

 found so far in the interior, but iu the '• Key" 

 gives it from New Mexico and Arizona, there- 

 fore I enter it pending future investigations, 



11. Larus Philadelphia (Ord). Bonaparte's 

 Gull, In reporting this Gull Anthony writes, 

 " A black-headed gull is often seen about the 

 lakes in fall, I have no specimens, but tliink 

 that it is this species." This gull should be 

 found in Colorado during migration and it 

 seems a little strange that it has not been ob- 

 served by more of the members, I found it 

 common at Lake Desmet in \\'3'oaiing and so 

 early in the summer as to lead me to think they 

 bred in the vicinity, which thej^ no doubt do, 

 as I saw them from May throughout the sum- 

 mer. 



I'i. Xcma sahinii (Sab). .Sabine's Gull. 

 Entered iu Drew's list upon the authority of 

 Mr. P.idgway. Not observed by any of the 

 members during the year of 1887. I enter it as 

 a rare, accidental visitant. 



1.'!, Sterna forsteri (Nutt), Forster's Tern. 

 Reported by Drew and Smith (Loveland), also 

 by .\llen and Brewster* upon Chas, E. Aiken's 

 authority, who says it is taken at rare intervals. 

 It no doubt breeds in the state, although I know 

 of no record of its nest and eggs having been 

 taken. 



14. Sterna hirundn (Linn). Common Tern. 

 Reported as a transient visitant by Brenninger, 

 rare? This and the preceding should be more 

 diligently sought for. Smith of Loveland also 

 reports the Sooty Tern {S. fulginosa), but I 

 think it nmst be a mistake. 



15. Hijdrtirhelidon niyra sitrinaiueiisis (Gmel). 

 Black Tern. Observed by Drew, Anthony and 

 others. A conunon summer resident, breeds 

 abundantly in company with Yellow-headed 

 and Red-winged Blackbirds, in the Hags of the 

 ponds and sloughs. Three eggs are laid, often 



*n. X. O. C. Vol. Vni. No. 4, pp. 1118. 



