ZOOLOGY. 



279 



of range he waits until it again dives, when he proceeds as before, each dive bringing him 

 nearer and nearer the victim. 



I have been told by western men that loons, when wounded, frequently dive to the bottom, 

 where, seizing hold of eel grass, or some other aquatic plant, they remain submerged until it is 

 presumed that all danger is over, or until actual necessity drives them to the surface for air. 

 Some, it is said, becoming entangled among the weeds, are drowned. 



The distance that this bird will pass under water, when endeavoring to escape by diving, is 

 wonderful. I think that I have certainly seen them, after diving, reappear at a distance of 

 nearly half a mile. They use their wings under water, flying, in reality, through the 

 aqueous element. S. 



The great loons are abundant during winter in the bays along the coast, and in summer 

 disperse in pairs to the small lakes of the interior, especially near Puget Sound, to breed. C. 



COLYMBUS PACIFTCUS, Lawrence. 



Tlie Pacific Diver. 



Colymbus patifaus, LAWRENCE ; BAIRD & LAWRENCE, Gen. Birds, p. 889. 



S P Cii. Young: Head above and hind part of neck dark bluish gray ; back, wing coverts, and scapulars blackish brown, 

 margined with grayish white, most conspicuous on the latter ; primaries black ; secondaries dark brown, with the ends of 

 their inner webs margined with white ; under lining of wings and axillars white; tail blackish brown, tipped with white ; 

 under plumage white ; sides dark brown, the feathers with gray edgings ; a dusky band on the lower part of the abdomen, 

 at the base of the tail ; lower tail coverts white, with brownish ends ; the upper mandible is dark brown above, sides 

 yellowish at the base for half its length, bluish white at the end ; under mandible, with the basal half, yellow, the remain 

 ing half bluish white ; tarsi and feet are externally reddish brown, (in the dried specimens,) yellowish internally ; claws 

 yellow, with dusky margins. 



Length of one specimen, (No. 9924,) from Fort Steilacoom, 25 inches; wing 11 \ ; tail, 2 ; bill, 2 ; tarsus, 2f. 



No. 9921 measures in length 24 inches; wing, \0\ ; tail, 2 ; bill, 2 ; tarsus, 2 ; outer toe, 3J. 



Hab. Coast of California ; Puget Sound. 



The Pacific diver is found rather abundantly on Puget Sound in winter. In habits it 

 resembles greatly the preceding species, for immature individuals of which I mistook it. It 

 usually retires to the north on the approach of warm weather. A few may remain on the 

 inland lakes of the Territory. S. 



COLYMBUS SEPTENTRIOXALIS, Linn. 



The Red-throated Diver. 



Colymbus septentrionalis, LINN, S. N.I, 1766, 220. BONAP. Syn. 1828, 370. RICH, and Sw. F. B. A. II, 1831, 476. 

 NUTT. Man. II, 1834, 519. AUD. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1838, 20: V, 1839, 625. Iij. Birds 

 Am. VII, 1844, 299 ; pi. cccclxxviii. BAIRD & LAWRENCE, Gen. Eep. Birds, p. 890. 



SP. CH. Adult: Front, sides of the head, upper part of the throat, and sides of the neck, clear bluish gray ; upper part 

 of the head of the same color intermixed with blackish spots ; the hind neck streaked longitudinally with white on a 

 greenish black ground, the white feathers being raised above the others. On the fore part of the neck is a large longitudinal 

 patch of deep reddish brown. Upper plumage brownish black, slightly tinged with green, and on the upper part of the 

 back and lower part and sides of the neck streaked and mottled with white. Wings and tail brownish black ; under 

 plumage pure white, with a band across the hind part of the abdomen, and the lower tail coverts brownish gray; bill bluish 

 black ; iris bright red ; tarsi and feet browni&h black externally, on the inside pale flesh color ; claws yellowish at the base, 

 dusky at the end. 



Length, 27 inches; wing, 11; tail, 2| ; bill, 2 ; tarsus, 2J. 



Young: Upper part of the head and hind neck dull gray, streaked with grayish white; back and wings blackish gray, 

 profusely marked with oval-shaped white spots, there being two on each feather, smallest on the upper part of the back and 

 largest on the tertiaries ; quill feathers and tail blackish brown, the latter edged with white ; sides of the neck white, 



