EGG CHECK LIST OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 53 
(33a. American Eared Grebe —DYTES NIGRICOLLIS CALIFORNICUS. 
‘Faint yellowish-white, usually become stained by the habits of the bird 
and nature of the nest, texture of shell quite smooth, ovoidal; three; 1.75 
by 1.25,7. Nest is constructed of a large quantity of grass placed among 
reeds and tall grasses near water. ‘They breed in colonies. W. N. A. 
735. Thicls-billed Grebe — PODILYMBUS PoDrcEPsS. Yellowish-white, 
ovoidal; five; 2.17 by 1.45,v. Nests placed in marshy places, sometimes 
on floating vegetation. Atlantic States, Texas and New Mexico, California and Oregon. 
736. Loon—COLYMBUS TORQUATUS: Olivaceous-brown, sometimes 
olivaceous-drab, spotted and blotched with very dark brown, almost ex- 
actly oval, occasionally very much lengthened; two or three; 3.50 by 
2.25,v. Nests in the neighborhood of large lakes and ponds, on some low 
island or in meadows, where the bird collects a large pile of grasses, sods 
and weeds in which it forms a hollow about sixteen inches in diameter and 
four or five deep. Northern Hemisphere. 
738. Black-throated Diver—cotymBus arcticus. Dark greenish- 
brown, spotted and blotched with very dark brown, oval; three; 2.90 by 
1.90,v7. Nesting habits similar to those of the preceding species. 
Arctic Regions. 
740. Red-throated Diver.—coLYMBUS SEPYENTRIONALIS. | Olivaceous 
or greenish-brown, blotched and spotted with very dark brown, exactly 
resembling those of the Loon in form, color and markings, but are smaller; 
2.95 by 1.90,7. Breeds in Labrador and begins to lay early in June. 
The nesting habits are similar to those of the other species. 
Northern Hemisphere. 
742. Razor-billed Auk—vTraMANiA TORDA Pure white, greatly spotted 
and blotched with dark brown or black, the spots generally forming a cir- 
cle towards the large end, oval; one’ or two; 3.10 by 2. 10,v. This bird 
deposits its eggs on the naked surface in fissures and caverns of rocks. 
‘ Northeastern Coast of N. A. 
743. Common Puffin—rrareRcuLa -ARcTicA. Pure white when laid 
but soon becomes soiled and stained and appears to be a dirty yellowish- 
white, some specimens are marked with blotches of brownish red, the pro- 
portion of marked ones being about one in five; one; 2.30 by 1.60,z. 
The nest is placed in a burrow in the earth, dug .by the birds. In many 
instances two birds are found sitting each on its egg in the same hole. 
‘ North Atlantic. 
700. Least Auk—ciCcERONIA PUSILLA. Bluish-white, pyriform; one; 
1.80 by 1.25,v7. The eggs are deposited on the shelves of rocky cliffs. 
N. N. A. 
