THE LOON. 635 
General Range.—Northern part of northern hemisphere. In North America 
breeds from the northern tier of states northward; ranges in winter south to 
ihe Gulf of Mexico and Lower California. 
Range in Ohio.—Not uncommon migrant; less common than formerly ; 
sparingly resident in winter in southern portion. Formerly bred in northern part 
ef state. 
AS we gaze at some ocean greyhound lying at her moorings, we note 
with kindling eye the graceful lines of bow and stern, the suggestive inclina- 
tion of mast and funnel, and we declare her perfect for her chosen element, the 
sea. We know that a transatlantic liner would cut a sorry figure on land 
and a sorrier still in the air, but we do not allow ourselves to be disturbed by 
such comparisons. Viewed strictly as a water bird, as Nature intended, the Loon 
is a paragon of beauty. Alert, supple, vigorous, one knows himself to be in the 
presence of the master wild thing, when he comes upon a Loon on guard in 
his native element. ‘The bird seems to move about almost without effort, a 
single backward kick of one of those immense paddles serving to send it for- 
ward at any desired speed, while the head is turned inquiringly from side to 
side as if to take your measure. A shout, a false motion, the flash of a gun, and 
the wild thing has vanished, leaving scarcely a ripple to mark its recent rest- 
ing place. It reappears, if at all, at a surprisingly great distance, and if re- 
ally alarmed, only the head is thrust out of water, to take breath, get the bear- 
ings, and disappear again. 
A Loon is not invulnerable, but an educated bird must be secured by 
stealth or guile if at all. Generations of gun practice have made the bird 
such an expert diver that, given room enough in which to dive, it 1s all but im- 
possible to shoot one. Once on a wild mountain lake in the West, when I was 
really desirous of securing a specimen, I concealed myself behind an eminence 
with a Winchester rifle, and shot down at a supposedly unsuspecting Loon. 
After the first shot the bird turned and paddled slowly toward the ambuscade 
with what seemed like an amused smile playing about his features. After the 
seventh shot, the disappearing target tired of the game and vanished alto- 
gether. Poor marksmanship? Not a bit of it! Expert diving! On the other 
land I shall never recall without a surge of shame another bird just off shore 
who was only to have been frightened. I was in full view, and brought up 
the shot-gun without attempt at concealment. ‘The bird never flinched. Sheer 
butchery! How is one to tell an ingenu from an old-timer? I have done 
with Loon shooting. 
Under water the Loon moves with great rapidity, using its wings to assist 
its progress. It is thus able easily to overtake a fish, which it transfixes by 
a stroke of its dagger-like beak and brings to the surface for consumpticy. 
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