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THE BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 



Genus GAVIA. Forster. 



GAVIA IMBER (Ginn). 

 Loon. 



Common Loon. ]ii« Loon. Noktiiehn Diver. 



Adult in summer : Head and ueek 

 black, .showiug^-reeu iu some lii;lit8 ; a 

 patch of white streaked with black on 

 the throat aud sides of the neck ; under- 

 purts, white; back aud wings, black, 

 streaked and spotted with white; 

 whei'e the white spots occur there are 

 usually two spots near the end of cacli 

 feather; sides of l)reast, sti'caked with 

 black. 



AiIkH in lointer and inimnlnrc: 

 Head, grayish ; back, grayish ))rown 

 or dusky brown, without spots; uiider- 

 parts, white ; throat, often tinged with 

 gra}"^ ; primaries, dark ; tail feathers, 

 tii)ped with gray. 



Length: 30 to 3G ; wing, 12 to 

 14..50; bill, 2.00 to 3.10; height of bill 

 at nostril, about .SO; tarsus, 3 to 3.60. 



Distribution : Northern portion of 

 Nortliern Hemisphere, ranging south 

 in winter to Gulf of Mexico and Lower 

 California. Breeds from Northern 

 United States northward. 



Nest and eggs: Nest, a mass of 

 grass or weeds and leaves, close to 

 water, more commonlj' on islets or 

 ^ shores of some pond or lake. Two 

 -" eggs, grayish I)rown or greenish 

 l)rown, heavily blotched with dark 

 brown, aud measure 3..')0 x 2.25. 



Although loss numerous than formerly, Loons are common on the Athintic 

 coast during migrations, and the wild, laugh-like note is a well-known sound 

 on shore and lake. 



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