BLACK-THROATED LOON. 33 



familiarity of the Pacific Black-throated Diver in the harbor of San 

 Pedro, in southern California, says : " They even came up to the 

 wharves, and played about as unconcerned!^ as domestic ducks. They 

 constantly swam around the vessels lying at anchor in the harbor, 

 and all their motions both on and under the clear water could be 

 studied to as much advantage as if the birds had been placed in 

 artificial tanks for the purpose. Now, two or three would ride lightly 

 over the surface, with the neck gracefully curved, propelled with idle 

 strokes of their broad paddles to this side or to that, one leg after the 

 other stretched at ease almost horizontally backwards, while their 

 flashing eyes first directed upwards with curious sidelong glances, 

 then peering into the depths below, sought for some attractive morsel. 

 In an instant, with the peculiar motion impossible to describe, they 

 would disappear beneath the surface, leaving a little foam and bub- 

 bles to mark where they had gone down, and I could follow their 

 course under water; see them shoot with marvellous swiftness through 

 the limpid element, as, urged by powerful strokes of the webbed feet 

 and beats of the half open wings, they flew rather than swam ; see 

 them dart out the arrow-like bill, transfix an unlucky fish and lightly 

 rise to the surface again. While under water the bubbles of air car- 

 ried down with them cling to the feathers, and they seem bespangled 

 with glittering jewels, borrowed for the time from their native 

 element, and lightly parted with when they leave it. . They arrange 

 their feathers with a shiver, shaking off the last sparkling drop, and 

 the feathers look as dry as if the bird had never been under the 

 water. The fish is swallowed headforemost with a peculiar jerking 

 motion, and the bird again swims at ease with the same graceful 

 curve of the neck." 



It is said to be common in Norway and Sweden, and more rarely 

 has been found breeding near some of the lonely lochs in the north of 

 Scotland. 



In the " Birds of Alaska," Mr. Nelson says of this species : " This 

 Loon is very common all along the American shore of the sea, and 

 about Kotzebue Sound ; they are also numerous on the large streams 

 and marshes of the interior. The skins of these birds, as of other 

 heavily plumaged water-fowl, are much used by the natives from St. 

 Michaels south for clothing. The natives snare and spear them in 

 the shallow ponds and lagoons where they breed, and Dall mentions 

 haying seen one dress containing the skins from over one hundred 

 loons' throats." 



