The OoLOGiST. 



Vol. XXVI. No. 3. Albion, N. Y. March, 1909. 



Whole No. 260 



THE OOLOGIST, 



A Monthly Publication DeTOted to 

 OOLOGY, ORNITHOLOGY AND TAXI- 

 DERMY. 

 XaVEBI H. SHOST. Editor aad Pn^liAw. 



OorrespondeDce and Items of interest to the 

 stndsnt of Birds, their Nests and Bms, solicited 

 from all. 



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ERNEST H. SHORT, 



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LOONS. 



Following the nomenclature of the 

 A. O. U. we find next after the Grebes, 

 treated briefly in our last issue, the 

 Loons. They are closely allied to the 

 Grehes having their legs set way back 

 by their tail making them exceeding- 

 ly awkward travelers on land though 

 the most expert of swimmers and div- 



ers. They differ from the Grebes in 

 their greater size and in having no 

 lobes on the toe webs. Prom the next 

 following groups, the Auks, they dif- 

 fer in structure by having 4 toes. The 

 Auks have only three toes. 



Of the five N. Am. Loons two are 

 Western species, the Yellow-ibilled 

 and Pacific; two are small species of 

 nearly circumpolar distribution while 

 the type only; nests within the United 

 States occurring from Gt. Lakes east 

 to Maine and northward. 



The plumage varies according to 

 the season. In full spring and sum- 

 mer dress the Loon is black above 

 with blackish throat. Balance of under 

 parts white. W'hite dots and streaks 

 on throat and back. Beak black, long, 

 stout and sharp. In winter all colors 

 are grayer and markings less distinct. 



They frequent the smaller lakes or 

 the neighborhood of islands along the 

 Great Lakes. Their wings are short 

 for the bird's weight and it requires a 

 great amount of flapping to raise them 

 in full flight hence they are averse to 

 leaving the water. They can swim 

 under water for long distances and 

 dive at the flash of a gun. The cry is 

 oftenest heard in the early night and 

 is lound and weird, its affect heigliten- 

 ed by the hour and the solitudes they 

 frequent. 



The nest is built close to thi:j water, 

 preferably on an islet and usualy in 

 growth of flags, etc. The 'bird soon 

 wears a distinct trail to it when wad- 

 dling to and from the water. 



It consists mainly of flag stalks and 

 sedge sod arranged around a hollow 

 in soil, sometimes liardly anything 

 but the depression and again quite 



