BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. ad 
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, 
