278 ZOOLOGY. 



? Sterna regia, Gambel ; Lawrence, Gen. Bep. Birds, p. 859. 



I several times, in May and September, saw a few terns flying over Slioalwater bay, which 

 were probably of this species, though others might have sometimes been with them, for 

 description of which I must refer to the general report. — C. 



Family C OL Y M B I D A E -The D i v e rs. 

 Sub-Family COLYMBINAE.— T h e Loons 



COLYMBUS TORQUATUS, Briinnich, 



The Great Xorthern Diver; The Loon. 



Culymhm lorqualus, BnuNN. Orn. Bor. 1764, 134.— Baird & Lawrence, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 888. 

 Culymbus gladalu, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 221.— Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 333.— Wils. Am. Orn. IX, 84, 

 1824, pi. Ixxiv.— BoNAP. Sjn. 1828, No. 368— Rich & Sw. F. B. Am. II, 1831, 474.— Nutt. 

 Man. II, 1834, 513.~Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 43; pi. 306.— Ib. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 282; 

 pi. cccclxxvi. 

 Colymhuf immer. Linn, Sjst Nat. I, 1766,222. (Young of year.) 



Sp. Cii. Bill compressed, strong and tapering, outline of upper mandible nearly straigbt, very slightly curved ; the lower 



mandible has a groove underneath, running from the junction of the crura towards the point ; the tail consists of twenty 

 feathers. 



Adult. — The head and neck are dark bluish green, the upper part and sides of the head glossed with purple ; there is a small 

 transverse mark on the throat, composed of white feathers of a quill-like form, distinct from each other and placed longitudinally 

 on each side of the neck ; lower down are larger patches of white, of the same peculiar form, and running in the same direction ; 

 these almost meet behind, and in front are about one inch apart ; the effect of these pure white feathers, relieved by the dark 

 color of the neck, is very beautiful ; the upper plumage and wing coverts are deep glossy black, beautifully marked with pure 

 white spots placed in regular transverse rows, slightly curving downwards ; these spots, on the upper part of the back, are small 

 and nearly round, but as they descend lower on the back increase in size and become quadrangular in form, being largest on the 

 Bcapularies ; on the lower part of the back, upper tail coverts and sides (which are black) the spots are small and round ; the 

 sides of the neck, near the shoulder, are beautifully lineatod with black and white ; the primaries, secondaries, and tail, brownish 

 black; the under surface glossy white, with a narrow band of dusky feathers crossing the lower part of th» abdomen, and 

 marked with small white spots ; lower tail coverts blackish brown, tipped with white ; bill black ; iris deep bright red ; tarsi and 

 feet grayish blue externally, tinged on the inside with pale yellowish red ; webs brownish black ; claws black. 

 Length, 31 inches; wing, 14; tarsus, 3^ ; bill, 3; height at base, I. 



lounjr.— The plumage above is grayish black, the feathers of the back margined with grayish white, the under plumage pure 

 white ; bill yellowish, with the ridge of the upper mandible dusky. 



Hub. Very generally distributed ; it is abundant on the Atlantic coast, in the lakes of the interior and the fur countries, 



PaeiBc coast, and New Mexico. 



This loon I found in winter common near Fort Steilacoom, both on the salt waters of the 

 sound and upon the small fresh water lakes of the vicinity. On the latter a few remain during 

 the breeding season. They are possessed of all the cunning and quickness which so charac- 

 terizes the species elsewhere. In winter they are quite fat and are much sought after by the 

 Indians, who are very fond of eating them, and who shoot them in the following manner. A 

 single Indian, in a small ducking canoe, sits screened by a bunch of evergreen branches placed 

 in the bow. Seeing a loon swimming in the water he paddles stealthily towards it, and having 

 approached, say, within very long gunshot, waits until the bird dives. He then paddles with 

 all his might in the direction in which the bird went under; but as soon as the latter reappears 

 on the surface, which, if previously undisturbed, it is apt to do at a short distance, the wily 

 hunter stops paddling, and if within easy range fires at the unsuspicious bird, which is generally 

 killed, or, at least, severely wounded at the first fire. Should the bird, however, be still out 



