GAVIA OF IMMER LAKE 



birds that had teeth and no wings, four miUion years or 

 so ago. Their own wings were still small and flipper-like 

 when, about the first of August, they were spending the 

 day, as they often did, in a small cove. They were now 

 about two-thirds grown, and their feathers were white 

 beneath and soft bright brown above, with bars of white 

 spots at their shoulders. They had funny stiff little tails, 

 which they stuck up out of the water or poked out of 

 sight, as they wished. They swam about in circles, and 

 preened their feathers with their bills, which were still 

 small and gray, and not black like those of the old birds. 



After a time Gavia came swimming toward them, all 

 under water except her head. Suddenly Father Loon 

 joined her, and they both began diving and catching lit- 

 tle fishes for the two Olairs. For the vegetable part of 

 their dinner they had shreds of some waterplant, which 

 Gavia brought them, dangling from her bill. Surely 

 never a fresher meal was served than fish just caught 

 and greens just pulled ! No wonder it was that the young 

 loons grew fast, and were well and strong. After the 

 twins were fed, Gavia and Father Loon sank from sight 

 under the water, heads and all, and the Olairs saw no 

 more of them for two hours or so, though they heard 

 them now and then singing, sometimes the Tremble Song 

 and sometimes the Silly Song. 



They were good children, and did not try to tag along 



59 



