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The Loon 
of garments and bags. These people also eat its coarse, rank flesh, a 
habit which T. Gilbert Pearson says is often indulged in by the natives ! 
of the coast of North Carolina. Few, however, of the number killed by I 
white men are eaten. ; 
The food of the Loon consists largely of fish, chiefly, no doubt, of | 
the smaller and more worthless species. Yet the fact that it is a fish- | 
eater has brought condemnation upon it from fish-culturists, and that 
without a trial. Of the species of fishes naturally occurring in a given 
lake not more than one-half are food-fishes for man, and only one-fourth j 
may be called game-fishes. ’ 
Dr. William C. Kendall, scientific assistant in the United States 
Bureau of Fisheries, has written : ‘Tn large lakes 
A Fish-Eater observations lead me to believe that it does little 
or no harm. In most lakes salmon and trout are : 
mostly too large for the Loon to trouble, and it restricts its diet to the 
smaller, surface-swimming and shore fishes, such as smelts, chubs, etc.” | 
The possibility that the Loon may render a service to conservers i 
of game-fishes, by holding in check in some degree the destroyers of 
fish-eggs, or in destroying the fishes affected with contagious gill-fungus ! 
and other diseases, has never been considered. Unquestionably it is the 
weaker specimens of such fishes as are eaten that constitute the greater: j 
part of the Loon’s diet. On the other hand some, as the suckers arid ! 
horned pouts, are very destructive to the finest game-species, eating large 
quantities of their eggs, while themselves of little value as food or game. 
Audubon says of its diet: ‘‘Fishes of numerous kinds, aquatic insects, 
water-lizards [salamanders], frogs, and leeches have 
Varied Diet been found by me in its stomach, in which there is also 
generally much coarse gravel, and sometimes the 
roots of fresh-water plants.” 
Its diet is thus shown not only to be more varied than most persons 
acknowledge, but also in this respect it is without doubt beneficial. 
Aquatic insects large enough to attract the attention of the Loon are 
predacious, and in some instances demand active measures for their sup- 
pression in fish-ponds, and in this respect the services of a hungry Loon 
would be welcome. ^ . 
Classification and Distribution 
The Loon belongs to the Order Pygopodes, Suborder Cepphi, Family Gaviidcu 
and Genus Gavia. Its scientific name is Gavia inirncr. It inhabits the northern 
part of the northern hemisphere, and in America breeds throughout the mainland 
of Alaska, on the islands of the Arctic Sea, in Greenland, and throughout Can- 
ada and the northern border of the United States. It winters within the 
United States and on the adjacent oceans. 
This and other Educational Leaflets are for sale, at 5 cents each, by the National Association of 
Audubon Societies, 1974 Broadway, New York City. Lists given on request. 
