GAVIA OF IMMER LAKE 



Then all at once they stopped singing and began some 

 flying stunts. A stiff breeze was blowing, and, facing 

 this, they pattered along, working busily with wings and 

 feet, until they could get up speed enough to leave the 

 water and take to flight. Though it was rather a hard 

 matter to get started, when they were once under way 

 they flew wonderfully well, and the different pairs 

 seemed to enjoy setting their wings and sailing close to- 

 gether around a large curve. They went so fast part of 

 the time that, when they came down to the surface of 

 the water again, they plunged along with a splash and 

 ploughed a furrow in the water before they could come 

 to a stop. 



Of course, by that time they were hungry enough for 

 refreshments! So Gavia went off to one side and stirred 

 the water up as if she were trying to scare fish toward the 

 others, who waited quietly. Then they all dived, and 

 what their black sharp-pointed bills found under water 

 tasted good to those hungry birds. 



After that the loon party broke up, and each pair 

 went to their own home cove, where they had left their 

 young. It had been a pleasant way to spend the time so- 

 ciably together; and loons like society very much, if they 

 can select their own friends and have their parties in a 

 wilderness lake. But gay and happy as they had been at 

 their merrymaking, Gavia and her mate were not sorry 



63 



