Family Urinatoride
LOONS.
A family containing only five species, inhabiting the northern half of the northern hemisphere. The Loons are scarcely less aquatic than the Grebes, and are their equals as divers and swimmers. They visit the land only to nest, when their clumsy progress is assisted by the use of bill and wings. Their food consists of fish, which they procure by diving, progressing when under water by aid of the feet alone. A. Throat black. a. Head black b. Head ashy KEY TO THE SPECIES.
B. Throat gray, foreneck chestnut • . : 7. LOON. 9. BLACK-THROATED LOON. 11. RED-THROATED LOON.
C. Throat white or whitish; back fuscous, margined with grayish. a. Wing over 13.00; base of bill to anterior end of nostril 75 or over. 7. LOON (Im.). b. Wing under 13.00; base of bill to anterior end of nostril less than 75. 9. BLACK-THROATED LOON (Im.).
D. Throat white or whitish; back fuscous, spotted with white. 11. RED-THROATED LOON (Im.). 7. Urinator imber (Gunn.). LOON. (See Fig. 5, b.) Ad. in summer. -Upper parts, wings, tail, and neck black with bluish or greenish reflections: spaces on the throat and sides of the neck streaked with white; back and wings spotted and barred with white; breast and belly white; sides and a band at the base of the under tail-coverts black spotted with white. Ad. in winter and Im. - Upper parts, wings, and tail blackish margined with grayish not spotted with white; under parts white; throat sometimes washed with grayish. L., 32.00; W., 14.00; Tar., 3·40; B., 2.80.