ECOLOGY OF ISLE ROY ALE. 341 



birds had not left the island September 21st, as the fishermen reported 

 them at this time. 



They appeared to be more common at the northern end of the island 

 and at Siskowit than at Washington Harbor. It is doubtful whether 

 any nested in the immediate vicinity of the latter jjlace. 



Breeding notes : From their actions a pair were supposed to be breed- 

 ing on Sumner Lake (III, 5) during July, but no nest was found. 

 As long as any one was in sight the pair remained together, calling 

 and diving continuously, often coming up many rods from their diving 

 point. 



On August 10th, a pair of adult birds were found with their two 

 young on Siskowit Lake. The birds were swimming together with their 

 young close Reside them. Although apparently not more than two or 

 three days old, they were expert divers and could swim under water 

 much faster than the boat could be rowed when pursuing them. When 

 approached, the parents swam rapidly away, leaving the young to take 

 care of themselves, which they seemed perfectly capable of doing, and 

 would have, had it not been for the use of a shot gun. As the young 

 were approached, they swam rapidly away at right angles to each other. 

 Upon being closer pressed they dived, swimming under water for twenty 

 or twenty-five feet. This was kept up until they were procured. The 

 young at this early age were capable of performing that remarkable feat 

 for which the adults are so noted — the act of swimming at different depths 

 with the head still above the surface. This is not done by diving, but 

 simply by sinking the body lower down as a fish might lower itself; 

 no special motion is noticeable, the sinking being gradual, and seemingly 

 without effort. Towards the last the young swam with only the head 

 out of water. One which was only wounded we kept alive twenty-four 

 hours, after which it was killed as there was no food which we could 

 easily procure for it. When placed in a basin of water it swam briskly 

 about, seldom using the whole leg, but simply 'the foot, bending at the 

 upper end of the tarsus, which was moved back; and forth with a fanning 

 motion, the toes folding back on the forward stroke. It showed little 

 fear, even when taken in the hand. Occasionally it uttered a call or 

 cry, much resembling that of a young turkey. In the stomach of the 

 other was found a dragon-fly nymph and four small fish about an inch 

 and a half to two inches long, which shows that the fish diet is acquired 

 early in this species. Low marshy land suitable for nesting sites oc- 

 curred in some part of nearly every lake or bay on the island, and 

 probably many breed here every year. 



Miscellaneous notes : Many loons are caught each year on "set lines" 

 and also in the gill nets on the shores of the island. One fine male 

 was brought to the party by a fisherman, which was caught this way. 

 The line had been sunk where the water was about 100 fathoms deep and 

 about ten miles out in the lake from the Eock Harbor light-house. The 

 line was down twenty fathoms, and this loon is supposed to have swam 

 down this distance and taken the small herring used as a bait. The 

 fisherman reported that this was a very common occurrence, the birds 

 sometimes being found at the great depth of fifty and sixty fathoms; 

 but this seems improbable. These birds roamed about much in the 

 evening and during the night, their loud peculiar cry being heard at all 



