and circumspection, glide up to the canoe. 



It took a great deal of looking and listening 



Jfukiaeem (f^ to convince her that it was harmless, and that 



^^ if^-^^-^^-- ^ ^^'^ ^^^ hiding near in the grass. Once 



' assured, however, she would come direct to 



the nest ; and I had the satisfaction at last of 



watching a loon at close quarters. 



She would sit there for hours — never 

 sleeping apparently, for her eye was always 

 bright — preening herself, turning her head 

 slowly, so as to watch on all sides, snapping 

 now and then at an obtrusive fly, — all in 

 utter unconsciousness that I was just behind 

 her, watching every movement. Then, when 

 I had seen enough, I would steal away along 

 a caribou path, and push off quietly in my 

 canoe without looking back. She saw me, of 

 course, when I entered the canoe, but not 

 once did she leave the nest. When I reached 

 the open lake, a little searching with my glass 

 always showed me her head there in the grass, 

 still turned in my direction apprehensively. 



I had hoped to see her let the little ones 

 out of their hard shell, and see them first 

 take the water; but that was too much to 



