LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN DIVING BIRDS. 67 
Jands). North to the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and the Arctic coast 
and outlying islands (Kolguev, Nova Zembla?). North American 
breeding records are very doubtful. Apparently there is not a single 
North American taken set of eggs accompanied by parent birds to 
establish the breeding of this species in the Western Hemisphere. 
Siberian birds have been described as a distinct subspecies (see text), 
but its range is not well known. 
Winter range.—Birds have been recorded in winter from near the 
northern limit of its breeding range, Lapland (Varanger Fiord). 
It also winters from the British Isles, Heligoland, and Prussia south 
to Spain, Portugal, the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas, and 
along the coast of eastern Siberia to Japan. 
Casual records—Some Alaska records probably refer to the Sibe- 
rian subspecies. AI] other American records seem to refer to some- 
thing else. 
Egg dates—Lapland: 12 records, May 28 to June 23; 6 records, 
June 6 to 12. Finland: 8 records, June 6 to 17; 4 records, June 10 
to 14. Sweden: 7 records, May 25 to June 20; 4 records, June 7 to 11. 
GAVIA PACIFICA (Lawrence). 
PACIFIC LOON, 
HABITS. 
Spring—tThe Pacific loon is well named, for, except during the 
breeding season, it is an abundant species along the Pacific coast of 
this continent. The spring migration is well marked, as the follow- 
ing observation, sent me by Mr. A. B. Howell, will illustrate: 
April 12, 1910, detached parties were migrating northward past Ensenada Bay, 
Mexico, so frequently as to be almost one continuous flock. There were 
thousands. May 2, 1913, I witnessed a similar flight near Santa Barbara, 
California. 
Mr. Bernard J. Bretherton (1896) says that it arrives at Kodiak 
Island 
about the middle of May. On account of its large size, and a habit it has of 
flying round before it finally alights, makes the arrival of this bird very 
noticeable. These birds, approach the island from the east, flying very high 
and in pairs, seeming at. once to give their attention to selecting a suitable 
place to nest. They fly from one lake to another, describing large circles in 
the air, and giving forth their harsh cry, which gives rise to their native name 
of “Googara.” They were never noticed to arrive in the night, as many 
migrants do. 
Mr. John Murdoch (1885) says that, at Point Barrow— 
they arrive early in June, and before the ponds are open are generally flying 
eastward as if they had come up along the open water at sea and were striking 
across to the mouths of the rivers at the east. As the ponds open they make 
themselves at home there, and evidently breed in abundance, though we were 
unable to find the nest. One of their breeding grounds was evidently a swampy 
lagoon some five or six miles inland, but the nests are inaccessible. 
55916—19—Bull. 107-6 
