THE LOON. 635 



General Range. — Northern part of northern hemisphere. In North America 

 breeds from the northern tier of states northward; ranges in winter south to 

 ihe Gulf of Mexico and Lower CaUfornia. 



Range in Ohio. — Not uncommon migrant; less common than formerly; 

 sparingly resident in winter in southern portion. Formerly bred in northern part 

 of state. 



AS we gaze at some ocean greyhound lying at her moorings, we note 

 with kindling eye the graceful lines of bow and stern, the suggestive inclina- 

 tion of mast and funnel, and we declare her perfect for her chosen element, the 

 sea. We know that a trsinsatlantic liner would cut a sorry figtu'e on land 

 and a sorrier still in the air, but we do not allow ourselves to be disturbed by 

 such comparisons. Viewed strictly as a water bird, as Nature intended, the Loon 

 is a paragon of beauty. Alert, supple, vigorous, one knows himself to be in the 

 presence of the master wild thing, when he comes upon a Loon on guard in 

 his native element. The bird seems to move about almost without effort, a 

 single backward kick of one of those immense paddles serving tO' send it for- 

 ward at any desired speed, while the head is turned inquiringly from side to 

 side as if to take your measure. A shout, a false motion, the flash of a gun, and 

 the wild thing has vanished, leaving scarcely a ripple to mark its recent rest- 

 ing place. It reappears, if at all, at a surprisingly great distance, and if re- 

 ally alarmed, only the head is thrust out of water, to take breath, get the bear- 

 ings, and disappear again. 



A Loon is not invulnerable, but an educated bird must be secured by 

 stealth or guile if at all. Generations of gun practice have made the bird 

 such an expert diver that, given room enough in which to dive, it is all but im- 

 possible to shoot one. Once on a wild mountain lake in the West, when I was 

 really desirous of securing a specimen, I concealed myself behind an eminence 

 with a Winchester rifle, and shot down at a supposedly unsuspecting Loon. 

 After the first shot the bird turned and paddled slowly toward the ambuscade 

 with what seemed like an amused smile playing about his features. After the 

 seventh shot, the disappearing target tired of the game and vanished alto- 

 gether. Poor marksmanship ? Not a bit of it ! Expert diving ! On the other 

 hand I shall never recall without a surge of shame another bird just off shore 

 who was only to have been frightened. I was in full view, and brought up 

 the shot-gun without attempt at concealment. The bird never flinched. Sheer 

 butchery! How is one to tell an ingenu from an old-timer? I have done 

 with Loon shooting. 



Under water the Loon moves with great rapidity, using its wings to assist 

 its progress. It is thus able easily to overtake a fish, which it transfixes by 

 a stroke of its dagger-like beak and brings to the surface for consumption. 



