I02 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Nests and eggs. This bird lays its eggs close to the margin of the lake 

 where it can easily slide into the water at the approach of danger. The 

 nest is a mere depression in the rock or ground and its eggs, usually two 

 in number, are about the size of a goose egg, grayish olive-brown in color, 

 spotted with brownish black. The young are covered with a soft down, 

 sooty brown in color and leave the nest as soon as hatched. The time 

 for fresh eggs is from May 1 5 to June 5 . 



Gavia arctica (Linnaeus) 

 Black-throated Loon 



Plate 2 



Colymbus arcticus Linnaeus. Syst. Nat. Ed. 10. 1758. 1:135 

 Urinator arcticus* A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 9 



arc'tica, arctic 



Distinctive marks. This bird bears a general resemblance to the 

 Common loon, but is smaller. In summer the upper part of the head and 

 back of the neck is of a clear bluish gray, gradually fading into black on the 

 throat and foreneck. The white streaks on the sides of its neck form a 

 lengthwise patch, and the white spots on its upper parts are more confined to 

 restricted areas as shown in the plate. In winter, there is a mmch closer 

 resemblance, but the Black-throated diver has a much wider edging of 

 bluish gray on the feathers of its upper parts, which gives it a peculiar 

 "reticulated or scaly appearance." 



Length 27-30 inches; wing 12-13; culmen 2.4-2.5; gape 3.4; hight of 

 bill at nostril .65; tarsus 2.9. 



This arctic species is extremely rare in New York, the only specimen 

 from this State known to exist is recorded by Dutcher in the Auk, volume 

 10, page 265. "The bird was killed by Gus Merritt of City Island, L. I., 

 on Saturday morning, April 29, 1893, between Sands Point lighthouse and 

 Execution lighthouse. He was one of a party of young men who left City. 

 Island in the middle of the night to lie in line for ducks. At daylight on 

 Saturday morning the bird flew from the east and was killed by him as it 

 passed over his boat." It was a male in full plumage. 



