TJrinator imber . 
Lake Umbagog, Ivlaine. 
1897. As we were nearing the mouth 03 ? Sturtevant Cove(we were 
Sept.5. going to fish at the mouth of Sturtevant Brook) we saw an adult 
Loon of exceptionally large size floating about 100 yards off 
on the glassy surface. Ordinarily I do not molest these noole 
birds but I coveted the skin of this gigantic fellow and at 
once gave him a charge of buckshot. Either one of the pellets 
hit him or he was a Loon of peculiar habits for he began mak¬ 
ing a series of short dives often coming up within less than 
40 yards from the spot where he had previously disappeared. 
He moved for the most part in a circle of about 200 yds. in 
diameter but often doubled back. He came up repeatedly within 
half gunshot but on every such occasion merely broke water and 
immediately disappeared again like a big fish. Had I enough 
shells to risk snap shots freely I should certainly hav'k 
killed him but as it was I kept my two charges of heavy shot 
for fair chances at his head and nech and missed with both at 
rather long range. When we left the bird he stood erect and 
flapped his wings sending his long quavering cry back at us as 
if in derision. By the bubbles which rose to the .calm surface 
just after he had dived very near us I learned that he ordinar 
ily or, at least, frequently, went straight down to a great 
depth (I think 20 feet or more ) and then frequently turned 
back or described a half circle before settling on his final 
