IN THE HAUNTS OF THE LOON 



of old forms of animal life of days when 

 strange creatures crawled and swam and flew, 

 part fish, part bird, and part reptile. 



The name of the loon has been taken in 

 vain by the writers, for it has been used to 

 denote a foolish or a distracted person, and 

 the great diver is not at all wanting in 

 sagacity. 



" Hold off; unhand me, gray-beard loon! 

 Eftsoons his hand dropt he." 



" Loon " or " lown " is also used to sig- 

 nify stupidity. Any one who has gone out 

 with a rifle to secure a specimen for tax- 

 idermy will hardly accuse the loon of that 

 failing. He has a proper suspicion of, and 

 a deep-seated respect for, that arch-slayer, 

 man. The big diver will swim away quietly, 

 always keeping a safe distance between him- 

 self and the boat, and if fired at he will dive 

 at the flash of a gun, very seldom taking 

 wing. He will rely almost always on his 

 power of swimming and diving to take him 

 out of harm's way. 



The loon, the heron, the bittern, and the 

 bull-frog are the oddities of the lake and 

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