IN THE HAUNTS OF THE 

 LOON 



THE loon, or great northern diver, 

 occupies a unique place among the 

 water-fowl of America. He is a 

 bird set apart from the rest, a frequenter of 

 loneliest lakes, a weird speck on shadowy wa- 

 ters. In old days, when the Indians roamed 

 the hills and valleys, they believed the bird 

 was an evil spirit, but nevertheless captured 

 him and used his skin for tobacco-pouches. 



His stretch of wing from tip to tip some- 

 times attains five feet, but is usually from 

 four to four and a half feet in a full-grown 

 bird. The head and neck are glossy black, 

 excepting some small streaks of white at the 

 base of the neck, and this coloring of head 

 and neck gives out green and purple metallic 

 shades. The under parts of the fowl are 

 white. The back is regularly marked in black 

 and white, and the bill is black and pointed. 

 Besides the great northern diver, there are 



