288 GREAT NORTHERN DIVER. 



sailor put out his hand to take it up. The Loon, however, to our surprise, 

 suddenly sprung up, and dived, and while we stood amazed, watching its 

 appearance, we saw it come up at the distance of about a hundred yards, 

 shake its head, and disgorge a quantity of fish mixed with blood; on which 

 it dived again, and seemed lost to us. We rowed however to the spot in all 

 haste, and the moment it rose, sent another shot after it, which terminated 

 its career. On examining it afterwards, we found it quite riddled by the 

 heavy shot. 



If ever so slightly wounded, the Loon prefers diving to flying off, and all 

 your endeavours to kill it are almost sure to prove unavailing. You may 

 shoot at it under such circumstances, but you will lose both your time and 

 your ammunition. Its keenness of sight defies the best percussion-locked 

 gun, for it is generally deep in the water before the shot reaches the spot 

 where it has been. When fatigued with diving in the ordinary manner, it 

 will sink backwards, like a grebe or a frog, make for some concealed spot 

 among the rushes, and there lie until your eyes ache with searching, and 

 . your stomach admonishes you of the propriety of retiring. 



Loons are now and then caught in fishermen's nets, and are soon drowned. 

 I have also caught them with hooks fastened to lines laid across the Ohio, 

 but on no such occasion have I taken the bird alive. A method of shooting 

 these birds, which I have often practised, and which was several times 

 successfully employed by our Labrador party, may here be related. On 

 seeing a Loon on the water, at whatever distance, the sportsman immediately 

 places himself under the nearest cover on the shore, and remains there as 

 carefully concealed as possible. A few minutes are allowed to pass, to give 

 the wary and sharp-sighted bird all due confidence; during which time the 

 gun, charged with large shot, is laid in a convenient position. The gunner 

 then takes his cap or pocket-handkerchief, which if brightly coloured is so 

 much the better, and raising it in one hand, waves it three or four times, 

 and then suddenly conceals it. The bird commonly detects the signal at 

 once, and, probably imagining the object thus exhibited to be one of its own 

 species, gradually advances, emitting its love-notes, which resemble a coarse 

 laugh, as it proceeds. The sportsman imitates these notes, making them 

 loud and yet somewhat mellow, waving his cap or kerchief at the same 

 time, and this he continues to do at intervals. The Loon, in order to arrive 

 more quickly, dives, perhaps rises within fifty yards of him, and calling less 

 loudly, advances with considerable caution. He shews the signal less 

 frequently, imitates the notes of the bird more faintly, and carefully keeps 

 himself concealed, until the Loon, having approached within twenty or even 

 ten paces, dives, and on emerging raises itself up to shake its wings, when off 

 goes the shot, and the deluded bird floats dead on the water. Many species 



