BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 11 



ation is characterized by a subsequent general congratulation 

 manifested by the medly of Loon notes. The walking or rather 

 running upon the face of the quiet lake waters, is a marvel of 

 pedal performance, so swiftly do the thin, sharp legs move in 

 the race, the wings being continuously held at about half 

 extent. Soon after this is over, the male parent takes to wing 

 to seek his food in some distant part of the same or some other 

 lake, which is soon followed by the departure of the female in 

 another direction, while the young swim away in various 

 directions to seek their supplies nearer the place of nightly 

 rendezvous. Their nests are not infrequently found, and 

 always either on the main land near the water or on the islands. 

 Occasionally one has been reported as found upon a muskrat's 

 pile. Several may nest quite near each other, particularly on 

 undisturbed islands. To construct them, a large quantity of 

 weeds and grass is gathered into a pile, into which a depres- 

 sion is made a foot or more in diameter, in which are deposited 

 usually three olivaceous, brown eggs, varying from 3^ to 

 nearly 4 inches in length. The earliest young have been seen 

 in the water by the second week in June. By the middle of 

 September, they have reached their full development. Most 

 of the members of this species are driven away by the 25th of 

 November, but occasionally an individual remains all winter, 

 as I have learned, notably along the St. Peter's river, where 

 numerous large springs have kept considerable areas free from 

 ice. Their very remarkable plumage is only fully attained at 

 their third year. The younger birds precede the others in mi- 

 gration from one to two weeks. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Head and neck black, upper part and sides of head glossed 

 with purple; a small transverse mark on the throat composed 

 of white feathers, quill- like in form, distinct from each other 

 and placed longitudinally on each side of the neck; lower down 

 are large patches of white, of the same peculiar pattern, and 

 running in the same direction, nearly meeting behind, and in 

 front are about an inch apart; upper plumage and wing coverts 

 deep, glossy black, with pure white spots placed in regular 

 transverse rows, slightly curved downwards; these spots on 

 the upper part of the back, are small and nearly round, but 

 descending lower on the back, increase in size and become 

 quadrangular in form, being largest on the scapulars; 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 lineated with black and white; the primaries, 

 secondaries, and tail, brownish-black; the under surface, 



