The Red-throated Loon 



tude, sometimes partially successful so far as the cleaning is concerned, 

 but inevitably sickened by the enteric action of the oil. Usually, when 

 approached, the sick birds are able to make off through the surf, although 

 the exertion takes just so much more from their fast-failing strength. A 

 sick Loon whose portrait I sought did not retreat, but turning upon the 

 photographer charged furiously. Her javelin beak struck the front board 



Taken on Santa Cruz Island Photo by the Author 



RED-THROATED LOON: WINTER PLUMAGE 



of the Graflex a resounding blow (and left a sharp dent, too), whereupon 

 she turned her attention to the birdman's shins. Another bird, surprised 

 near the water's edge, sprang to wing ere the camera could act, and struck 

 out through the surf. A male — I will not say the male, for it was winter, 

 and there were other loons in sight — saw his comrade's plight and hurried 

 up, — so anxiously, indeed, that he took wing in his haste, and did the 

 shoot the chutes act with a fine display of wing and splash of water. After 

 this the newcomer pressed toward me, as though to cover his chum's 

 retreat, and paraded up and down at close quarters while the afflicted bird 

 was pulling away. It is difficult to believe that either parental instinct or 

 sex gallantry played any part here. It was rather an exhibition of pure 

 altruism. Explain this who may, but altruism is as deep-seated an instinct 

 as that of self-preservation. 



Since Red-throated Loons pass Point Pinos about a month earlier 

 than do their Black-throated relatives, I suppose those I observed on 

 the 26th of April (1913) from a headland ten miles west of Santa Barbara 

 were Red-throats. There was a light breeze blowing from the west, and 

 this breeze the Loons, moving in platoons and squadrons a half mile off- 

 shore, were breasting briskly. A ten-minute count showed eleven pla- 

 toons, viz., 41, 35, 38, 14, 5, 7, 1, 59, 27, 55, 32— totaling 314 birds. 



2038 



