290 GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 



swimming under water, and as it were flying with the velocity of an arrow 

 in the air. Though at length inclining to become docile, and shewing no 

 alarm when visited, it constantly betrayed its wandering habits, and every 

 night was found to have waddled to some hiding place, where it seemed. tr 

 prefer hunger to the loss of liberty, and never could be restrained "irtm 

 exercising its instinct to move onwards to some secure or more su'tabl 

 asylum." 



The same valued friend has corroborated the resu: j f my observations 

 respecting the number of eggs usually laid by this species, by stating as 

 follows: "About the 11th of June, through the kindness of Dr. J. W. 

 Harris, I received three eggs, which had been taken from the nest of a 

 Loon, made in a hummock, or elevated grassy hillock, at Sebago Pond, in 

 New Hampshire." 



The range of this species is immense. It occurs on the waters that fall 

 into the Pacific Ocean, and has been observed on the Columbia river. In 

 the Fur Countries it is plentiful; and, as I have already stated, it breeds in 

 many parts of the United States. It is found equally in Europe, and the 

 northern parts of Asia. In all these countries it moves southward on the 

 approach of winter, and returns when the mild weather commences in spring. 



Unlike the Cormorant, the Loon usually swallows its 

 water, unless when it happens to bring up a shell-fish or i 

 animal, which it munches for awhile before it swallows 

 numerous kinds, aquatic insects, water-lizards, frogs, and leeches, have been 

 found by me in its stomach, in which there is also generally much coarse 

 gravel, and sometimes the roots of fresh-water plants. 



Although the flesh of the Loon is not very palatable, being tough, rank, 

 and dark coloured, I have seen it much relished by many lovers of good- 

 living, especially at Boston, where it was not unfrequently served almost 

 raw at the table of the house where I boarded. 



A female bird particularly examined by me presented the following 

 appearances. From the point of the bill to the end of the tail it measured 

 34 inches; to the claws 41; the extended wings were 71; the bill measured 

 5 inches along the gap; the breadth of the body was S inches, its depth only 

 four; the wings were 2 inches shorter than the tail; and the weigh, 

 lbs. 11 oz. avoirdupois. The first primary was longest. The tracl: 

 was even and flattened, being in diameter about -| of an inch by ^ | 

 16 inches long. The eggs were numerous. The gizzard was moderate, and 

 contained many large pebbles. The intestines were 7 feet long, and about 

 the same size as a Swan's quill. Every bone and sinew was strong and 

 tough. The tongue resembled in shape and size that of the Ivory-billed 

 Woodpecker. The bones of the wing and leg were almost solid, the cavity 



