32 WATER BIRDS 



Nest: A slight hollow on ground, close to water; unlincd and unpro- 

 tected. 

 Eggs; 2 ; brown or olive, spotted with umber. Size 2.50 X 1.81. 



This is the smallest and handsomest of the loons. 

 It occurs in California from November to late in April, 

 being the last to arrive from the North and the first to 

 leave. In habits it is nearly identical vt'ith Gavia 

 imber, but is a more northern variety, being more abun- 

 dant in Canada than in the United States. It has been 

 found breeding in British Columbia fifty miles north of 

 Vancouver. Unlike the common loon, however, it fre- 

 quents the salt rather than the fresh water, and during 

 the winter months is common along the California coast 

 from Oregon to Mexico. It is the " gray loon " of the 

 fishermen, and its long, wild call <as it rises against a 

 breeze and circles under a cloudy sky is always a signal 

 for the boats to seek shelter, for the storm will break 

 and not " blow over." 



44. GLAUCOUS-WINGED GVLL. ~ Lams glaucescevs. 



Family : The Gulls and Terns. 



Length; 25.75. 



Adults in Summer : Head, neck, lower parts, and tail uniform white ; 

 mantle dark pearl-gray ; feet and legs black. 



Adults in Jrinter : Plumage similar to that of summer, but with head 

 and neck finely mottled or washed with sooty graj'. 



Younq : Dark ash-gray, with mantle mixed with pearl-gray ; head and 

 neck indistinctly streaked with bnfFy ; under parts mi.xed with white. 



Doiimy Young : Dull whiti-sh gray above, white below ; head, neck, and 

 upper parts marked irregularly with dark gray. 



Oeographical Distribution : Paeitic coast of North America from Alaska 

 and Behring Sea ; south in winter to Southern California. 



Breeding Mange : Islands of the Pacific coast from Washington north- 

 ward. 



