Bird Notes from Itasca County 107 



in this paper in later years, a list of the lakes visited is 

 appended. 



The writer's stay in Itasca county was made possible 

 through the kindness of Dr. Sydney Kuh of Chicago, who 

 has a cabin on Lake Minnewanka. The writer was his 

 guest from July 18 to August 22. Every facility for study- 

 ing the wild life was at hand, and over a thousand miles 

 covered by machine assured the writer of fairly compre- 

 hensive data, and made possible the visiting of much terri- 

 tory otherwise inaccessible. To Dr. Kuh, therefore, and to 

 his guide, Mr. George Dwigans, the writer expresses his 

 appreciation for the opportunity of listing the 108 species 

 of biras which follow. 



1. Horned Grebe — Colymbtis auritus Linn. 



A single individual was found on August 18, in one of the 

 very small, nameless lakes. There is no breeding evidence, though 

 it is undoubtedly a summer resident. 



2. Pied-billed Grebe — Polilym'bus podiceps (Linn). 



Not a single individual of this species was seen until the 

 morning the writer left for home, when seven were seen feeding 

 in a small pond along the road. Very common on migrations, and 

 probably a breeding species to some extent. 



3. Loon — Gavia ivimer (Brunn.) 



An abundant breeding species. Practically every body of 

 water, containing fish — ^whether dignified by a name or not — har- 

 bors a pair of loons, and its family. The larger lakes frequently 

 have several pairs, though they keep separated as a rule. Inter- ' 

 esting gatherings were frequently seen on several lakes, when as 

 many as eight or nine adult birds would congregate, and with much 

 calling and splashing of wings would apparently play together for 

 as long as half an hour. 'Then one by one the birds would take 

 wing, and return to their own lakes. 



4. Herring Gull — Larus argentatus Pont. 



An occasional summer visitor from either Lake Superior or 

 the region to the north. Only two 'birds of this species were seen, 

 both traveling toward the lake. More common in the early spring 

 and fall. 



5. Common Tern — Sterna hirundo Linn. 



On a number of occasions these birds were seen, but onlv 

 about the larger lakes. One bird in juvenile plumage was seen 

 over Balsam Lake, indicating that the species breeds in the vi- 

 cinity. 



