114 



VoicCr,^ 



in their freedom, but silent as two shadows. 

 The mother bird was off on the lake, fishing 

 Tfukaieem (f^ for their dinner. 



^wM^C-'^^- Hukweem's fishing is always an interest- 

 ing thing to watch. Unfortunately he is so 

 shy that one seldom gets a good opportunity. 

 Once I found his favorite fishing ground, 

 and came every day to "watch him from a 

 thicket on the shore. It was of little use to 

 go in a canoe. At my approach he would 

 sink deeper and deeper in the water, as if 

 taking in ballast. How he does this is a 

 mystery; for his body is much lighter than 

 its bulk of water. Dead or alive, it floats 

 like a cork; yet without any perceptible 

 effort, by an impulse of will apparently, he 

 sinks it out of sight. You are approach- 

 ing in your canoe, and he moves off slowly, 

 swinging his head from side to side so as to 

 look at you, first with one eye, then with the 

 other. Your canoe is swift; he sees that 

 you are gaining; that you are already too 

 near. He swings on the water, and sits 

 watching you steadily. Suddenly he begins 

 to sink, deeper and deeper, till his back is 



