Part 2

Range.—From the Mississippi to the Pacific, nesting from Texas to British Columbia.

PIED-BILLED GREBE. 6. Podilymbus podiceps. 13½ inches.

This species cannot be mistaken for any others of the grebes in any plumage, because of its stout compressed bill and brown eyes, all the others having red eyes. In summer the bill is nearly white, with a black band encircling it; the throat is black; breast and sides brownish-gray; the eye encircled with a white ring.

Nest.—Made of a mass of decayed weeds and rushes, floating in shallow ponds or on the edges of lakes among the rushes. Five to 8 brownish white eggs are laid (1.70 × 1.18).

Range.—Whole of N. A., breeding in small colonies or pairs.

LOON; GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 7. Gavia immer. 31 to 35 inches.

In shape and motions the loons very much resemble the grebes, except in size, being much larger. The common loon is the most beautiful of them all, having a velvety black iridescent head with slashes of white on the throat and neck and spots of white on the wings and back.

Nest.—Usually built under some shelter of bushes or rushes on the edge of some of the larger ponds or lakes. The two eggs are a yellowish brown, with black spots (3.50 × 2.25).

PACIFIC LOON. 10. Gavia pacifica. 30 to 32 inches.

This species differs from the Loon in having the crown gray, and white streaks down the back of the neck, and in the color reflections of the black on the head. It is a trifle smaller also.

Nest.—Similar to the former, the eggs being more of a greenish brown, with the black spots mostly on the larger end (3.10 × 2).

Range.—Western N. A., breeding in Alaska and British Columbia; winters along the Pacific coast to Mexico.

RED-THROATED LOON. 11. Gavia stellata. 25 inches.

The smallest of the Loon family. The back and head are gray, there is a large patch of chestnut on the fore-neck; under parts white. Owing to the straight top to the upper mandible the bill has a slightly up-turned appearance.

Nest.—Similar to the other Loons, placed within a few feet of the water. The eggs are an olive brown with more markings usually than the others, and mostly on the larger end (2.90 × 1.75).

Range.—Along the western coast of North America.

AUKS, MURRES AND PUFFINS—Family Alcidæ.

TUFTED PUFFIN; SEA PARROT. 12. Lunda cirrhata. 13 inches.

This is the largest of the family, they are odd looking birds, with short legs, stout bodies and very large, thin bills, highly colored with red and yellow, the feet are red and the eyes are white. They stand erect upon their feet and walk with ease.

Nest.—They breed commonly on the islands of the Pacific coast, laying their single white egg in burrows or crevices of the rocks. In some sections two or three broods are raised in a season (2.80 × 1.90).

Range.—Pacific coast from southern California to Alaska.

HORNED PUFFIN. 14. Fratercula corniculata. 11 inches.

This Puffin is similar to the common Puffin of the east, excepting that the blackish band across the throat extends upwards in a point to the bill.

Nest.—The same as the above, the single egg averaging smaller (2.65 × 1.80).

Range.—Islands of the northern Pacific to the Arctic ocean.

RHINOCEROS AUKLET. 15. Cerorhinca monocerata. 11 inches.

These birds have a much smaller bill than the Puffins; in the summer plumage there is a small horn at the base of the bill from which it is given its name. These birds do not stand upright as do the Puffins; but sit upon their tarsus.

Nest.—A single egg is laid in either burrows or in crevices of the rocks, usually without any attempt at nest making (2.70 × 1.80).