ANDERSON — THE BIRDS OF IOWA. 151 



Suborder CEPPHI. Loons, Auks, Murres, etc. 

 Family GAVIID.E. Loons. 



Three species of this family are found in Iowa, but only one is 

 at all connnon. The Loons are similar to the Grebes in structure 

 and habits, but are considerably larger birds. 



Genus Gavia Forster. 



6. (7). Gavia imbcr (Gunn). Loon. 



The Loon is reported as connnon during the migrations in 

 nearly all parts of the state, though a few observers report it as 

 a rare transient. The spring migration is usuall}^ in April and 

 the fall migration in November. 



The Loon appears to be a summer resident only in the northern 

 part of the state. Prof. Walters reports the Loon as an "occa- 

 sional summer visitant" in Blackhawk county. Dr. B. H. Bailey 

 observed them on Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo) July 7 to 14, and on 

 Eagle Lake (Hancock) July 19, 1902. At Rice Lake (Winnebago) 

 J. Eugene Law took a set of eggs from the top of an old muskrat , 

 house about the last of May or first of June, 1S93, and M. Earl 

 Halvorsen has observed the species in sunnner at the same place. 

 The writer saw three and shot one at Rice Lake June i, 1895, and 

 saw one specimen on Swan Lake, near Lake Mills (Winnebago), 

 May 30, 1895: also mounted one shot on Silver Lake (Worth) 

 June I, 1897. April 21, 1905, I caught a Loon alive within the 

 limits of Iowa City, the morning after a severe thunder-storm. 

 It seemed to be unable to fly up from the ground, although appar- 

 ently uninjured. When approached, it made frantic eflforts to 

 escape, fluttering and dashing along the ground for several rods 

 at a time. The voice of the Loon has something weird and mys- 

 terious about it when heard at night on a quiet lake, sometimes 

 resembling a peal of maniacal chuckles or laughter. 



7. (9). Gavia arctica (Linn.). Black-throated Loon. 



The Black-throated Loon is a northern species which very cas- 

 ually visits Iowa. Two specimens have been taken in Jackson 

 county. J. Giddings reports (Iowa Orn., ii, 4, 1896, 73): "Nov. 

 15, 1895, a male Black-throated Loon was shot while swimming 

 in the Mississippi River a little way from the shore opposite 



