236 THE HALCYON IN CANADA. 



derful unity of movement in the two elements, air 

 and water. When there is much going on in one, 

 there is quite sure to be much going on in the other. 

 You have been casting, perhaps, for an hour with 

 scarcely a jump or any sign of life anywhere about 

 you, when presently the breeze freshens and the 

 trout begin to respond, and then of a sudden all the 

 performers rush in ; ducks come sweeping by, loons 

 laugh and wheel overhead, then approach the water 

 on a long gentle incline, plowing deeper and deeper 

 into its surface until their momentum is arrested, or 

 converted intp foam; the fish-hawk screams, the 

 bald eagle goes flapping by, and. your eyes and hands 

 are full. Then the tide ebbs and both fish and fowl 

 are gone. 



Patiently whipping the waters of the lake from my 

 rude float, I became an object of great interest to the 

 loons. I had never seen these birds before in their 

 proper habitat, and the interest was mutual. When 

 they had paused on the Hudson during their spring 

 and fall migrations, I had pursued them in my boat 

 to try to get near them. Now the case was reversed ; 

 I was the interloper now, and they would come out 

 and study me. Sometimes six or eight of them would 

 be swimming about watching my movements, but 

 they were wary and made a wide circle. One day 

 one of their number volunteered to make a thorough 

 reconnoissance. I saw him leave his comrades and 

 swim straight toward me. He came, bringing first 

 one eye to bear upon me then the other. When 



