NOTES ON THE EARLY LIFE OF LOON CHICKS. 
BY C. WILLIAM BEEBE. 
Curator of Ornithology, New York Zoological Society. 
Plate II. 
On August 4, 1906, two eggs were taken from the nest of a 
Loon, Gavin imber (Gunn.), on a lake of the Muskoka District, 
Ontario. The eggs were cold, and from observation it was judged 
that the parents had deserted them some 48 hours previously. 
Packed in a suit-case, the eggs were brought to New York City 
and on the evening of August 6, one young loon hatched. The 
following day this chick was brought to the New York Zoological 
Park, together with the second egg, which was chipped. 
1 CJ. Chapman, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., IV, 1892, pp. 1-20. 
suuiiu is maue uifougn me nostrils ana sourias liKe wnew-weeo. 
He settles contentedly down on a bed of dampened leaves. Fre- 
quently one of the legs is given a violent shake and lifted high up 
on the side of the body, the wing then being raised and placed over 
the foot. Again a leg is stretched out straight behind and held in 
this position for several minutes. 
W hen placed in a deep tub of water the loon chick swims at once, 
with very quick, short strokes, alternating with first one, then the 
other foot. While swimming along, without warning, he pushes 
his head clear under and looks about beneath him. This is re¬ 
peated several times during his first ten minutes of aquatic experi¬ 
ence. 
In the afternoon the loon is given a second swim, this time with 
a hundred small live fish beneath him. Although he ducks his 
head several times, he does not see, or at least does not notice the 
fish. 
