—22— 





shallow water, for the Loon is pre-eminently 

 an aquatic species and never sets foot on dry 

 land or near it. A bog- well out in the lake, an 

 old muskrat house or one of those peculiar 

 formations found rising- from the bottom, evi- 

 dently of vegetable formation, but difficult to 

 account for, is selected as a basis for the 

 Loon's nest. On this foundation of bog-, or 

 levelled muskrat's house, is spread more or 

 less material, mainly of aquatic plants. The 

 mass is soft and pliable. Elevation and dry- 

 ness seem unnecessary to the Loon's idea of 

 housekeeping, and they select, contrary to 

 the advice g-iven in the good book, the very 

 lowest places to be found actually above the 

 surface of the water. The rains may come, 

 as they often do, and the winds may blow^ and 

 the old birds care not, even if the eggs are 

 partia'ly subinerg-ed. She sets with thegroat- 

 est patience for we 1 over three weeks, await- 

 ing the time when she shall be rewarded for 

 the work of love which reason dictates. i 

 cannot say that these partially submerged 

 eg-g-s hatch, but I think they do, and it may be 

 added in support of this that young birds 

 have been seen swdmrning about the nest aft- 

 er the nest has been found deluged. 



The nest or properly depressions, for that 

 is all there is to them, are oblong- in shape: 



