50 GREAT NORTHERN DIVER OR LOON. 
tance of about an hundred yards, shake its head, and disgorge a quan- 
tity of fish mixed with blood: on which it dived again, and seemed 
lost to us. We rowed however to the spot in all haste, and the mo- 
ment it rose, sent another shot after it, which terminated its career. 
On examining it afterwards, we found it quite riddled by the heavy 
shot. 
If ever so slightly wounded, the Loon prefers diving to flying off, 
and all your endeavours to kill it are almost sure to prove unavailing: 
You may shoot at it under such circumstances, but you will lose both 
your time and your ammunition. Its keenness of sight defies the best 
percussion-locked gun, for it is generally deep in the water before the 
shot reaches the spot where it has been. When fatigued with diving 
in the ordinary manner, it will sink backwards, like a Grebe or a Frog, 
make for some concealed spot among the rushes, and there lie until 
your eyes ache with searching, and your stomach admonishes you of 
the propriety of retiring. 
Loons are now and then caught in fishermen’s nets, and are soon 
drowned. I have also caught them with hooks fastened to lines laid 
across the Ohio, but on no such occasion have I taken the bird alive. A 
method of shooting these birds, which I have often practised, and which 
was several times successfully employed by our Labrador party, may here 
be related. On seeing a Loon on the water, at whatever distance, the 
sportsman immediately places himself under the nearest cover on the 
shore, and remains there as carefully concealed as possible. A few 
minutes are allowed to pass, to give the wary and sharp-sighted bird 
all due confidence ; during which time the gun, charged with large 
shot, is laid in a convenient position. The gunner then takes his cap or 
pocket-handkerchief, which if brightly coloured is so much the better, 
and raising it in one hand, waves it three or four times, and then sud- 
denly conceals it. The bird commonly detects the signal at once, . 
and, probably imagining the object thus exhibited to be one of its own 
species, gradually advances, emitting its love-notes, which resemble a 
coarse laugh, as it proceeds. The sportsman imitates these notes, 
making them loud and yet somewhat mellow, waving his cap or ker- 
chief at the same time, and this he continues to do at intervals. The 
Loon, in order to arrive more quickly, dives, perhaps rises within 
fifty yards of him, and calling less loudly, advances with considerable 
caution. He shews the signal less frequently, imitates the notes of 
