﻿98 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  principal 
  subsistence. 
  The 
  note 
  of 
  this 
  bird 
  is 
  a 
  resonant 
  call 
  reminding 
  

   one 
  somewhat 
  of 
  the 
  Yellow-billed 
  cuckoo 
  note, 
  composed 
  of 
  the 
  s}dlables 
  

   cow 
  — 
  cow 
  — 
  cow 
  — 
  cow 
  — 
  cow 
  — 
  cow 
  — 
  cow, 
  repeated 
  several 
  times, 
  the 
  latter 
  

   syllables 
  being 
  drawn 
  out 
  into 
  froglike 
  gutturals. 
  This 
  is 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  most 
  

   characteristic 
  sounds 
  of 
  the 
  marshes 
  comparing 
  well 
  with 
  the 
  booming 
  of 
  

   the 
  bittern 
  and 
  the 
  clattering 
  of 
  the 
  rails 
  as 
  a 
  sound 
  with 
  which 
  all 
  nature 
  

   lovers 
  should 
  be 
  familiar. 
  It 
  is 
  undoubtedly 
  the 
  love 
  note 
  of 
  the 
  bird, 
  but 
  

   is 
  sometimes 
  heard 
  during 
  the 
  pleasant 
  days 
  of 
  the 
  fall. 
  

  

  Nest 
  and 
  eggs. 
  The 
  Pied-billed 
  grebe 
  forms 
  its 
  nest 
  of 
  flags 
  and 
  reeds 
  

   among 
  the 
  thick 
  sedges 
  or 
  cat 
  -tails, 
  but 
  sometimes 
  in 
  a 
  rather 
  exposed 
  

   position. 
  It 
  usually 
  rests 
  on 
  submerged 
  weeds 
  or 
  rubbish, 
  but 
  sometimes 
  

   floats 
  on 
  the 
  surface, 
  only 
  slightly 
  anchored 
  to 
  the 
  surrounding 
  stems, 
  and 
  

   has 
  been 
  known 
  to 
  float 
  away 
  in 
  times 
  of 
  flood 
  with 
  the 
  mother 
  bird 
  incubat- 
  

   ing 
  her 
  four 
  to 
  eight 
  dull 
  white 
  eggs 
  on 
  her 
  rudely 
  constructed 
  house 
  boat. 
  

   When 
  the 
  old 
  bird 
  leaves 
  the 
  nest 
  in 
  search 
  of 
  food 
  she 
  usually 
  covers 
  the 
  

   eggs 
  with 
  weeds, 
  probably 
  to 
  protect 
  them 
  from 
  gulls 
  and 
  other 
  egg-loving 
  

   birds. 
  The 
  eggs 
  are 
  1.75 
  inches 
  in 
  length 
  by 
  1.2 
  in 
  width. 
  The 
  young 
  

   swim 
  as 
  soon 
  as 
  hatched. 
  

  

  Family 
  GAVIID^VEi 
  

  

  Loons 
  

  

  Order 
  Colymbiformes 
  in 
  Sharpe's 
  Hand-List 
  

  

  Bill 
  straight, 
  sharp, 
  strong, 
  horn}^ 
  and 
  paragnathous 
  ; 
  wings 
  strong; 
  

   primaries 
  11, 
  10 
  being 
  well 
  developed, 
  none 
  emarginate; 
  secondaries 
  numer- 
  

   ous, 
  short, 
  the 
  fifth 
  wanting; 
  tarsi 
  much 
  compressed, 
  reticulate, 
  smooth 
  on 
  

   the 
  rear 
  margin; 
  feet 
  palmate; 
  hind 
  toe 
  partly 
  lateral 
  and 
  connected 
  with 
  

   inner 
  toe 
  by 
  a 
  lobe; 
  claws 
  normal; 
  tail 
  of 
  18-20 
  short, 
  stiff 
  feathers; 
  tibia 
  

   has 
  a 
  long 
  apophysis; 
  patella 
  small; 
  carotids 
  double; 
  coeca 
  and 
  ambiens 
  

   present; 
  body 
  broad 
  and 
  flattened; 
  back 
  spotted. 
  

  

  Loons 
  are 
  admirably 
  adapted 
  to 
  the 
  avocation 
  of 
  divers. 
  The 
  form 
  is 
  

   long 
  and 
  pointed 
  for 
  cleaving 
  the 
  water, 
  the 
  tarsi 
  so 
  narrow 
  that 
  the}^ 
  offer 
  

   little 
  resistance 
  to 
  forward 
  movement 
  of 
  the 
  legs, 
  and 
  the 
  broad 
  webbed 
  feet 
  

   take 
  a 
  powerful 
  hold 
  of 
  the 
  water 
  at 
  the 
  backward 
  stroke. 
  They 
  also 
  can 
  

   change 
  their 
  specific 
  gravity 
  b}^ 
  inhaling 
  or 
  expelling 
  air 
  from 
  their 
  lungs 
  

  

  