278 
ZOOLOGY. 
? Sterna regia, Gambel ; Lawrence, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 859. 
I several times, in May and September, saw a few terns flying over Shoalwater bay, which 
were ^jrobably of this species, though others might have sometimes been with them, for 
description of whicli I must refer to the general report. — C. 
Family COLYMBIDAE. The Divers. 
Sub-Family COLYMBINAE. The Loons. 
COLYMBUS TORQUATUS, Briinnich. 
The Great Northern Diver ; The Loou. 
Colymhus torqualus, Brinn. Orn. Bor. 17G4, 134. — Baird & Lawrence, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 888. 
Colymhus ghiciaiis, Li.nn. Syst. Nat. 1, 176(i, a2L— Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 383 — Wils. Am. Orn. IX, 84, 
1824, pi. Lxxiv.— BoNAi'. Syn 1828, No 36S.-Rich &. Sw. F. B. Am II, 1831, 474,— Nurr. 
Man II, 1834, 513.— Aud. Orn. Biog IV, 1838, 43; pi. 3UG.— Tit Birds, Am. VII, 1844,282; 
pi. cccclxxvi 
Colymhus immer, Linn Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 222. (Young of year.) 
Sp. Ch. — Bill compressed, strong and tapering, outline of upper mandible nearly straight, very slightly curved ; the lower 
mandible has a groove underneath, running from the junction of the crura towards the point ; the tail consists of twenty 
feathers. 
Adult. — The head and neck are dark bluish green, the upper part and sides of the head glossed with purple; there is a small 
transverse mark on the throat, composed of white feathers of a quill-like form, distinct from each other and placed longitudinally 
on each side of the neck ; lower down are larger patches of white, of the same peculiar form, and running in the same direction ; 
these almost meet behind, and in front are about one inch apart , the efiect of these pure white feathers, relieved by the dark 
color of the neck, is very beautiful; the upper plumage and wing coverts are deep glossy black, beautifully marked with pure 
white spots placed in regular transverse rows, slightly curving downwards; these spots, on the upper part of the back, are small 
and nearly round, but as they descend lower on the back increase in size and become quadrangular in form, being largest on the 
scapularies; on the lower part of the back, upper tail coverts and sides (which are black) the spots are small and round; the 
sides of the neck, near the shoulder, are beautifully lineated wiih black and white; the primaries, secondaries and tail brownish 
black ; the under surface glossy white, with a narrow band of dusky feathers crossing the lower part of the abdomen, and 
marked with small white spots; lower tail coverts blackish brown, tipped with white; bill black ; iris deep bright red; tarsi and 
feet grayish blue externally, tinged on the inside with pale yellowish red; webs brownish black ; claws black. 
Length, 31 inches ; wing, 14 ; tarsus, 3^ ; bill, 3 ; height at base, 1. 
Young. — The plumage above is grayish black, the feathers of the back margined with grayish white, the under plumage pure 
white, bill yellowish, with the ridge of the upper mandible dusky. 
Hub — Very generally distributed; it is abundant on the Atlantic coast, in the lakes of the interior and the fur countries, 
Pacific coast, and New Mexico 
This loon I found in winter common near Fort Steilacoom, both on the salt waters of the 
sound and upon the small fresh water lakes of the vicinity. On the latter a few remain during 
the breeding season. They are possessed of all the cunning and quickness which so charac- 
terizes the species elsewhere. In winter they are quite fat and are much sought after by the 
Indians, who are very fond of eating them, and who shoot them in the following manner : A 
single Indian, in a small ducking canoe, sits screened by a bunch of evergreen branches placed 
in the bow. Seeing a loon swimming in the water he paddles stealthily towards it, and having 
approached, say, within very long gunshot, waits until the bird dives. He then paddles with 
all his might in the direction in which the bird went under; but as soon as the latter reappears 
on the surface, which, if previously undisturbed, it is apt to do at a short distance, the wily 
hunter stops paddling, and if within easy range fires at the unsuspicious bird, which is generally 
killed, or, at least, severely wounded at the first fire. Should the bird, however, be still out 
