V ° 1 i907' iy ] Beebe, The Early Life of Loon Chicks. 35 



Observations made on the two young loon chicks for ten consecu- 

 tive days revealed a number of interesting facts in regard to the 

 development of their instincts, and these are especially significant 

 and conclusive because the birds had never seen their parents or 

 their natural environment. 



August 7. — Chick No. 1 was hardly dry when I took him from 

 his box. Placed on the floor he can make his way about by spas- 

 modic leaps, frog-like, with both feet at once, falling flat on his 

 breast after each effort. Cannot sit upright. 



He pecks eagerly at a finger or anything bright, such as a steel 

 instrument. Several small pieces of fish are eaten and he drinks 

 two medicine droppers of water, soon learning to coordinate his 

 vision with his motions of prehension. His eyes are rather dull, 

 appearing covered with a faint bluish haze, and, except at short 

 range, his vision is poor. 



At first he strikes out blindly in the direction of the forceps; 

 holding the fish, but after a dozen efforts he can seize the bit of 

 food after the first or second trial. He must certainly take his. 

 food direct from the parent's beak, and not by regurgitation. 



From time to time, when hungry, he utters low peeps, very like 

 a barnyard chick. Aften he has eaten six small pieces of fish, he 

 seems satisfied and the plaintive, piping note ceases. Instead, 

 occasionally, a half-smothered, whistling sigh is uttered. This 

 sound is made through the nostrils and sounds like whew-weeo. 



He settles contentedly down on a bed of dampened leaves. Fre- 

 quently one of the legs is given a violent shake and lifted high up 

 on the side of the body, the wing then being raised and placed over 

 the foot. Again a leg is stretched out straight behind and held in 

 this position for several minutes. 



When placed in a deep tub of water the loon chick swims at once, 

 with very quick, short strokes, alternating with first one, then the 

 other foot. While swimming along, without warning, he pushes 

 his head clear under and looks about beneath him. This is re- 

 peated several times during his first ten minutes of aquatic experi- 

 ence. 



In the afternoon the loon is given a second swim, this time with 

 a hundred small live fish beneath him. Although he ducks his 

 head several times, he does not see, or at least does not notice, the 

 fish. 



