GREAT NORTHERN DIVER OR LOON. 51 
the bird more faintly, and carefully keeps himself concealed, until the 
Loon, having approached within twenty or even ten paces, dives and 
on emerging raises itself up to shake its wings, when off goes the shot, 
and the deluded bird floats dead on the water. Many species of Ducks 
are procured in nearly the same manner. The male Turkey, in the 
gobbling season, and the Stag in autumn. may also be drawn within shot 
by the same means. I once “ tolled” two Loons with my hat from a 
distance of nearly half a mile, and although they were at one time so 
near to me that I could clearly perceive the colour of their eyes, I had 
no sure opportunity of firing at them, as it was in the pairing season, 
and they never once dived, or raised their wings to flap them, so that, 
knowing the extreme agility with which they disappear when they have 
seen a gun snap, I judged it useless to shoot. Until my visit to La- 
brador I had supposed, agreeably to the common belief, that the Loons 
always repose at night on the water, which, however, I have since as- 
sured myself they rarely if ever do. 
Colonel Monracu, than whom none has written more correctly on the 
habits of the birds of Great Britain, having procured a wounded Loon, 
placed it in a pond, and observed the manner in which it made its way 
under the surface of the water. “In swimming and diving,” he re- 
marks, ‘ only the legs are used and not the wings, as in the Guillemot 
and Auk tribes, and by their position so far behind, and their little de- 
viation from the line of the body, the bird is enabled to propel itself 
in the water with great velocity, in a straight line, as well as turn with 
astonishing quickness.” This I have no doubt was the case with the 
individual observed ; but that this is not the usual mode of proceeding 
of the species is equally true. Having myself seen Loons pass and 
repass under boats, at the distance of several feet from the surface, 
and propel themselves both with their feet, and their half-extended 
wings, I am inclined to believe that when not wounded, and when 
pursuing their prey, they usually employ all the limbs. 
My friend Tuomas Nurraxt, who kept one for some time, gives 
the following account of its manners while in his possession. ‘“ A 
young bird of this kind which I obtained in the Salt Marsh at Chelsea 
Beach, and transferred to a fish-pond, made a good deal of plaint, and 
would sometimes wander out of his more natural element, and hide and 
bask in the grass. On these occasions he lay very still until nearly ap- 
proached, and then slid into the pond and uttered his usual plaint. 
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