The Loon 69 



The Loon leaves its secluded lake within the realm of the Frost Giants 

 sometime after the breeding-season, and speeds away to spend the winter on 

 the ocean, where the ceaseless currents and toppling waves bid eternal defiance 

 to the grasp of the Ice King. Here it finds an abundance of food, and, with 

 hosts of other sea-fowls, rides out the winter's fury. 



With the return of spring, and the warming of its stout heart toward its 

 mate, it again seeks the lake, and resumes its family cares. Year after year it 

 returns for a nesting-place to the same tiny islet, floating tussock (or it may be 

 to a muskrat-house), to some sandy beach in a sheltered cove, or perhaps to a 

 point of land where turf and water meet. Sometimes the nest is fully open to 

 view, sometimes well hidden by bushes, sometimes a mere hollow without 

 lining, but it may be slightly or, occasionally, well lined. Rarely an elaborate 

 nest is built in the shallow water, raised above the level of the early summer 

 flood, and such a nest is left high and dry when the water of the lake recedes 

 in the summer drought. If the lake is raised by summer rains, as sometimes 

 happens, this nest may be submerged, when the unhatched young will perish. 



The eggs usually number two, but sometimes only one is laid. They are 

 about as long as goose-eggs, but less in diameter, and are rich olive-brown, 

 more or less marked with spots and lines of a deeper color. They 



. , ^ Home and 



hatch m about a month. p .. 



The baby Loons are clothed in soft down, black above, white 

 below. In a few hours they bid farewell to the nest, and are conducted out 

 upon the broad lake by their parents. Here their youth is spent in alternately 

 swimming feebly, and in riding upon their parent's backs. Audubon says that 

 the young are "fed by regurgitation for about a fortnight, and are then fed with 

 particles of fish, aquatic insects, and small reptiles, until they are able to 

 maintain themselves." 



The deep love of the Loon for its nest and young is manifested in acts of 



solicitude when these are approached, and in marks of affection in fondling 



and sfuidine: their weak offspring. The Loon manifests uneasiness 



, , -^ , .,.,.;, , , . , Sensitive to 



before a storm. Perhaps it dislikes the splashing spray, or maybe storms 



its savage spirit is stirred to depths of exultation by the turmoil 



of wind and wave, for, with the rising gale, the bird becomes especially noisy, 



sending its powerful voice echoing across the water with great frequency. The 



performance seems contagious, for every Loon within reach of that penetrating 



tone raises its voice to answer, and then it may seem to a man listening that 



the confusion of tongues is again at hand. 



The storm abated, and the sun again shining upon the water, the Loon finds 

 life easy, and after washing its beautiful plumage with scrupulous care, and 

 dressing each feather with oil from the gland abo\'e the base of the tail, it finds 

 time to play, for, although a veritable savage, the Loon is possessed of social 

 instincts and often indulges them. 



Frequently Httle parties of from two to half a dozen or more may be seen 



