30 WATER BIRDS 



" Only on a lonely lake in the heart of the woods do 

 you get the startling thrill of the Loon's wild cry — one 

 clear, piercing note, or a long, quavering, demoniacal 

 laugh that to the timid suggests a herd of screaming 

 panthers." 



10. PACIFIC LOON. — Gavia pacifica. 



Family : The Loons. 



Length: 27.00. 



Adults in Summer: Upper part of head and nape pale gray, nearly 

 white ; sides of head, throat, and fore-neck black, glossed with 

 metallic purple and green ; wings and tail blackish ; breast and belly 

 white; sides of neck, wing-coverts, and back black, spotted and 

 streaked with white ; sides of belly sometimes finely streaked with 

 black. 



Adults in Winter, and Young : Similar to Gavia imber. 



Downy Young : Dark sooty gray. 



Geographical Distribution : Western United States, east to Rocky Moun- 

 tains, south to Cape St. Lucas, north to arctic circle, east to Hudson 

 Bay. 



Breeding Range : From Northern United States to Alaska. 



Breeding Season : Approximately, June 1 to August 1. 



Nest : Of water grasses, rushes, or decayed vegetation at edge of water. 



Eggs : 2 ; varying in color from brown-olive to pale greenish gray. Size 

 3.00 X 1.85. 



This species of the Pacific coast Black -throated Loon 

 corresponds to the Black-throated Loon of Eastern 

 United States, being a trifle paler in coloring but iden- 

 tical in habits. It is the most expert of all divers ; I 

 have seen one remain under water three minutes by 

 a watch, meanwhile covering a distance of a hundred 

 yards in his submarine swimming. They are very abun- 

 dant in Monterey Bay all the winter, and I have found 

 a few there as late as June 10, although the regular 



