202 THE LOON. 



Coast in winter. In New England it is rare, and it is not 

 abundant in the region of the Mississippi. The arctic regions 

 are its breeding ground. It breeds commonly in the marshes 

 along the Yukon River, especially in the great marshes at 

 its mouth. The eggs, from 2-5, "nearly ellipsoidal," some 

 4.00 X 2.00, with a rather rough shell, are white or dirty- 

 white, and are laid in May, " usually in a tussock quite sur- 

 rounded with water." 



The Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) differs from the 

 former in its greater size, being some 68 inches in length, 

 by its longer and wholly black bill, and more basilar nostrils, 

 by its 24 tail feathers (C. americanus has a yellow spot on the 

 bill and only 20 tail feathers), and by its harsher voice. 

 Reaching the gulf coast in winter, the Trumpeter seems to 

 range along the great Mississippi Valley, breeding from 

 Iowa and Dakota to the arctics, its breeding habits being 

 similar to those of its American congener. It is but a 

 straggler on the Atlantic Coast, and is not numerous south- 

 ward on the Pacific. 



The young of Swans are at first gray, and passing through 

 various shades of reddish do not become pure white until 

 about 5 or 6 years old; and it takes about as many years for 

 them to reach their full size, the young scarcely exceeding 

 one-third of that of the mature bird at the end of the first 

 year. 



Australia has a Black Swan, and South America one with 

 a black head and neck. 



THE LOON. 



About the middle of the day, when the mist on the lake 

 has somewhat cleared away, I discern some half-dozen 

 dark spots, several miles out; and turning the glass upon 

 them, I discover them to be Loons, or Great Northern 



