26 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB 



This bird seems to be fond of diving under decoy ducks and on two occasions 

 I have seen a Dabchick swim rapidly toward a Carolina Rail that was walking on 

 the shore. In each case the frightened rail took wing. 



I recently had an opportunity to watch a Dabchick diving repeatedly within 

 a few feet of me. On this occasion the bird just before diving sat quietly on the 

 water with neck and head up. It then sank slowly about an inch in the water 

 which was so clear that the feet could be seen hanging motionless below during 

 this action. The bird then turned its head and dove, kicking out behind vigor- 

 ously with both feet. Below the surface it could be seen swimming, propelled by 

 its feet alone, both as it went down and when it came again to the surface. The 

 wings were in place and not moved. A few air bubbles came to the surface as 

 the bird descended. This method of swimming under water by the use of the 

 feet alone appears to be the normal procedure in all loons and grebes, but under 

 certain circumstances, especially in extreme fright, the wings are also used. 

 Grebes carry their downy young on their backs under the wing-coverts and dive 

 with them there. Finley^ says: "When the old birds are scared, it seems very 

 difficult for them to hold the chicks in place when they dive." This is undoubtedly 

 due to the fact that the bird in fright resorts also to the use of its wings. 



4 [7] Gavia immer (Briinn.). 



Loon. 



Abundant transient visitor, common in winter ; a few non-breeding birds pass 

 the summer. September i to June 30 (July and August). 



In a recent article^ the statement is made that " migratory Loons fly with the 

 bill open. Doubtless so heavy and short-winged a bird requires a great deal of 

 oxygen for protracted flight." As this experience differs from my own and as 

 it is well known that all birds fly with bill generally open in warm weather, it 

 occurred to me that the observations that led to this statement may have been 

 made in warm weather. I have seen Crows, Song Sparrows, and numerous other 

 birds fly with their bills open in warm weather and recent studies I have made 

 of great numbers of Double-crested Cormorants flying to and from their nesting 

 places in the Gaspe Peninsula have demonstrated that many fly with open bills in 

 warm weather, but on ordinary days the bill is nearly always closed. Even when 

 the bird is startled from the water and is in great haste to escape, the bill is closed. 



[9] Gavia arctica (Linn.). Black-throated Loon. — On the doubtful list. 



1 Finley, W. L. Condor, vol. 9, p. 97, 1907. 



2 Nichols, J. T., Murphy, R. C, and Griscom, L. " Long Island Notes." Auk, vol. 34, 

 p. 437, 1917. 



