TI{I\AT()iaD E— THE TjOONS. -^55 



remains under wnlcr so loii^- and conies to the surface at so 

 great a distance ironi the pursuer and in such unexpected places 

 that the pursuit of one that has been made wary by attempts 

 on its life is exciting though often tedious. 



The cry of the loon is loud and melancholy, being likened by 

 some to the howl of a wolf or the prolonged scream of a human 

 being in distress. 



Its flesh is dark, tough, and fishy, but is eaten by Indians. 



Urinator arcticus (Linn.) 



BLACK THEOATED LOON. 

 Popular synonyms. Arctic Loon or Diver; Black-throated Diver. 



Co lymbus arcticus lumK. S.N. ed. 10. i, 1758, 135; cd. 12, 17GG, 221.-Rich. & Sw. F. B.-A. 11, 

 1831, 475.— NuTT. Man. ii, 1834. 517.— AuD. Orn. Biog. Iv, 1838, 345; B. Am. vii. 1814, »5, 



pi. 477.— Geat, Gen. B. iii, , pi. 171.— Lawe. in Baird's B N. Am. 1.858, 888.— Baird, 



Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. G<)9.-Coue8, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1802,228; Key, 1872,334; 

 Check List, 1873, No. 606; ed. 2. 1882, No. 842; Birds N. W. 1874. 721.— Ridgw. Nom. N. 

 Am. B. 1881, No. 738. 

 Urinator arcticus Stejn. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. v, 5, 1882, 43.— B. B. & E. Water B. Am. 

 ii, 1884, 452.— A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 9.— Ridgw. Man. N. Am. 1887, 7. 



Colymbus macrorhynchos Beehm, Vog. Deutschl. 1831, 974. 



Colvmhus megarhynchos Beehm, Naum. v, 1855, 300. 



Colymhus ignotus Bechst. Gemein. Naturg. Deutschl, ii, 1791, 783. 



Colymbus leucopus Bechst. Naturg. iv, 1809. 625. 



Hab. Northern portions of northern hemisphere, breeding in Arctic di.strict«. In 

 America, migrating south in winter, through the Eastern Province, to the northern United 

 States. 



Sp. Chae. Adult: Chin, throat, and fore-neck velvety purplish black, with a purpUsh 

 violet reflection, this black bounded sharply below, but on the sides of the head blending 

 gradually into the color of the cheeks and lores, which are smoky slate, this color gradually 

 fading into a rather light smoky cinereous, which occupies the whole upper part of the 

 head and the entire nape; across the fore-neck, just below the throat, a bar of white streaks ; 

 on the sides of the neck, between the purplish black of the fore-neck and the ash of the 

 napp, several longitudinal rows of black and white streaks, the latter narrowest. Upper 

 parts deep black, the upper part of the back with two parallel longitudinal series of broad 

 white bars, the inner scapulars with a single series of much larger, but otherwise similar, 

 bai s, and the wing-coverts marked with small ovate spots of white. Lower paits white, 

 the sides of the chest streaked with black; entire sides uniform intense black. Bill 

 black, the tip lighter; iris bright carmine; legs and feet "grayish blu.:>. their inner sides 

 tinged with yellow; claws black, that of the inner toe yellowish at the base" (Audubon). 

 Young: Similar to that of U. imber, but usually-much smaller, the angle of the mandible 

 less prominent. 



Total length, about 26,00 to 29.00 inches; extent. 30.50; wing, 12.15-13.20 (average. 12.55); 

 culmen, 2.5(V2.85 (2.'0); depth of bill through base, .75-.80 (.78); tarsus, 2.90-3.30 (3 11); outer 

 toe, 3.45-3.95 (3.76). [Five adults.] 



The young of this species, particularly full-grown specimens, are sometimes difllcult to 

 distinguish from immature specimens of U. imber; but the measurements will in most 



