cific Loon in the Bay of San Pedro on the coast of Southern 
California in 1865. He was then a young and ardent 
ornithologist; later he became one of the most eminent. 
He was well fitted to observe carefully and well qualified 
to describe his observations. Better opportunities to 
watch the under-water flight of Loons no man ever had. 
Game was then abundant on that coast, hunters were few 
and Loons were rarely molested. The attention of the 
young naturalist was attracted at once by their remark¬ 
able familiarity. He says that they were tamer than any 
other water fowl that he had ever seen, showed no con¬ 
cern at the approach of a boat and he had no difficulty in 
securing as many specimens as he desired. All their 
motions under the clear water could be studied as if they 
were in artificial tanks. He “could see them shoot with 
marvelous swiftness through the limpid element, as, urged 
by powerful strokes of the webbed feet and beats of the 
half opened wings they flew rather than swam; see them 
dart out the arrow-like bill, transfix an unlucky fish, and 
lightly rise to the surface again.” 
There is nothing ambiguous about this. What other 
conclusion can one draw from this than that Audubon’s 
belief was well founded? The birds observed by Coues 
were tame, unfrightened and were merely pursuing their 
prey. If this is not enough then hear Goss who years ago 
said that he found the Common Loon very abundant in the 
harbor of San Diego, California. He averred that he 
often lay upon the railroad bridge crossing the inlet to a 
small pond near the city and watched Loons pass and re¬ 
pass from the harbor to the pond and back again, invari¬ 
ably going with the tide. As they approached the outlet 
from either side he saw them dive at a safe distance and 
with the aid of their wings fly beneath the surface with 
the speed of an arrow, making the water fairly boil around 
them and leaving in their wake a silvery streak of bubbles. 
Is this not what Nuttall less happily and less clearly 
describes? Goss also says that once when upon the breed¬ 
ing grounds of the Common Loon and engaged in trying 
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