THE UNCANNY LOON 153 



a still more devoted sea-lover that queer 

 fellow, the loon. Many uncanny stories are 

 told of this bird, all probably arising from 

 his peculiar note, u the loon's unearthly cry," 

 as Mrs. Thaxter says. Three of these birds 

 seemed fond of the neighborhood of my seat, 

 and were often to be seen far out on the 

 water, feeding and enjoying themselves. On 

 arriving they seemed very nervous, turning 

 their heads this way and that, as if to make 

 sure no enemy was near. After a while they 

 appeared to be reassured, having indeed 

 so far as could be seen the whole broad 

 ocean to themselves. 



I watched these curious birds through my 

 glass very closely, and nothing they did 

 neither their long stay under water, nor their 

 occasional raising themselves above it, with 

 flapping wings and showing the whole of 

 their body interested me so much as their 

 power of regulating the depth to which they 

 sank. Usually they sat like ducks, with the 

 larger part of the body above the surface, 

 but again one would quietly sink down till 

 only the head and neck were above the sur- 

 face. Either position seemed perfectly easy 



