16 LOONS. 



ing hardly a ripple behind, and occasionally 

 may be seen with the head and neck only 

 above the surface. 



The flight is swift and direct. The wings 

 are saber-shaped and look small for the large 

 body; but they amply serve their purpose, 

 and a great Loon dashing through the air 

 with the velocity of a hundred miles an hour 

 is a fine example of gravity largely overcome 

 by speed. The feet and neck are outstretched 

 in flight, fig. 11. They cannot rise into air 

 excepting from water, and then are obliged 

 to flutter along the surface for some distance 

 before they can start. In calm water they 

 may often be seen paddling along the surface 

 by using both feet and wings, "steamboating" 

 as it is called. They do this sometimes in 

 chasing one another, apparently in sport. 



Although the nests are placed on land, 

 they are never far from water, as the birds 

 cannot walk on land, but are obliged to drag 

 themselves along by using wings and feet. 

 Eggs, 2, dark greenish brown heavily spotted 



