BIRDS FOUND NEAR SHORE OR IN BAYS 27 



marvellous aerial powers are displayed to the best ad- 

 vantage. By swift, indescribably graceful darts they 

 secure fish which are near the surface, or capture those 

 which have leaped from the water to escape some enemy 

 below. They also pursue gulls and terns, and, forcing 

 them to disgorge their prey, catch it in midair." 



Although rare in California north of Monterey, they 

 are more or less common throughout the coast from that 

 point southward. They are high-handed plunderers of 

 the gulls, meting out to them some punishment for their 

 constant thieving. But it is to the unfortunate fish-hawk 

 that these pirates are most terrible. Reports are given 

 on good authority of the terror exhibited by fish-hawks 

 at the approach of their enemy, who forces them to fish 

 hour by hour until exhausted, and seizes every fish as 

 soon as it is brought up from the water. This frequently 

 results in the death of the hawk by exhaustion and 

 drowning. 



BIRDS FOUND NEAR THE SHORE OR 

 IN BA YS 



7. LOON. — Gavia imber. 



Family: The Loons. 



Length: 32.00. 



Adults m Summer : Head and neck glossy greenish black ; upper parts, 

 wings, and tail iridescent black ; throat and sides of neck crossed by 

 transverse streaks of white ; back and wings spotted or speckled with 

 white ; breast and belly white ; sides black, spotted with white ; bill 

 black. 



