4G0 THE DIVING BIRDS — PYGOPODES. 



by the Swedes. A young bird was found on one of the Thousand Islands ; and Pro- 

 fessor Newton saw a pair of old ones on Russii, which evidently had a nest not far 

 off. It seemed to be pretty generally, but sparingly, distributed throughout the 

 whole region. It is said by Dr. Malmgren to feed its young on a species of Jjms 

 which he found in plenty in the fresh-water pools on the Star Fiord. 



This species was found by Middendorff inhabiting the tundras of Northern 

 Siberia; and Von Heuglin, in his account of the birds of Nova Zembla ("Ibis," 

 1872), states that he found it breeding in Matthews' Straits. 



According to Yarrell, it is only a winter visitant of England and Ireland, occur- 

 ring on all parts of the coast. A few breed in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, 

 and probably in other of the northern islands. Rev. Mr. Low, in his " Natural His- 

 tory of the Orkneys," accuses it of making a vast howling, and sometimes a croaking 

 noise, which is believed to prognosticate rain ; and hence its name of " Rain-goose." 



Mr. Robert Dunn states that these Loons lay their eggs so close to the water's 

 edge that the bird can touch the water with its bill while sitting. He has inva- 

 riably found the egg not more than three inches from the water's edge, and usually 

 deposited among a few loose stones. 



Mr. Hewitson speaks of the cry of this bird as being a loud and singular scream ; 

 Mr. Richard Dann characterizes it as very mournful and melancholy. During the 

 breeding-season, while on the wing, the birds frequently utter a sound like the word 

 kakera-kakera ; and by this name they are known in many parts of Scandinavia. 



Mr. Yarrell describes its eggs in his cabinet as averaging 2.G6 inches in length 

 by 1.82 in breadth. The ground-color is of a dark greenish brown when fresh, but 

 changes a little, and becomes a chestnut or dark reddish brown when the egg has 

 been long incubated. It is rather thickly spotted with dark umber-brown. 



According to Audubon, this species begins to breed in Labrador in the beginning 

 of June. The nests consist of a few blades of grass loosely put together, and quite 

 Hat, and without any down. The male incubates as well as the female. The young 

 birds dive beautifully, and swim with great buoyancy. By the hunters and fisher- 

 men on the New England coast this bird is called the "Cape Racer." 



Mr. MacFarlane observed it breeding in the neighborhood of Fort Anderson and 

 on the Arctic coast. Two eggs found July 2 were on a very small island, about two 

 feet square, and so small that one of the eggs was found at the bottom of the lake 

 on the borders of which the nest was situated. This was simply a slight depression 

 in the turf of which the island was composed; and others were found almost iden- 

 tical in character with this. This species was not very numerous in the neighbor- 

 hood of Fort Anderson. Sixteen nests are described by Mr. MacFarlane, in all of 

 which the maximum number of eggs is two. 



It is of occasional occurrence in the interior, on the great lakes, and more rarely 

 on smaller ones. These are usually noticed in the fall, are immature specimens, and 

 occur singly. Professor Kumlien procured one in October, 1873, on Lake Koskonong, 

 in Southern "Wisconsin. 



It was met with, and examples secured, on the Liard River and at Fort Reso- 

 lution by Mr. Robert Kennicott; on the Anderson River, on Lear Lake, at Fort 

 Simpson, and on Big Island by Mr. B. 1!. Ross; at Fort Rae- by Mr. L. Clarke; on 

 Big Island by Mr. John Reid; on Anderson River and the Arctic coast near its 

 mouth, on the Barren Grounds. Franklin Bay, and at Fort Anderson, by Mr. MacFar- 

 lane; at Sitka and St. Michael's by Mr. H. M. Bannister and Mr. Charles Pease; on 

 the Yukon River by Mr. Dall ; and at Fort Kenai by Mr. Bisehoff. 



The eggs of this species in the Smithsonian collection are from Great Slave Lake, 



