Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-02-06
A LOON ON THE LAKE.
ONE OF NATURES QUEER
FREAKS IN BIRDS.
Its Weird and Tragic Cries n Frequent Cause
o. Alarm for Difficulty
I'm Shooting Ihem-Hou the
Bird Laughs.


of her workshop she completed a job
at once bold and original" said an old
and observant native OF the Lake
keuka country, according TO writer
in the New York sun. 1T is safe to
call the loon either bird or an
animal. for it has the feathers of one.
| the fur OF the other and the heart OF
both. The fur is on the breast and
neck and under side OF the looms
body. 1t is much of the same quality
as a beavers. a cloak made of looms
fur would be dainty wrap for the
dantiest lady in this or any other land.
The feathers of loon cover its back
and wings. They are soft and feecy,
but as hard to pluck as pulling teeth.
They have popularity that nothing
in nature except porcupines' quilts
have. Looms feathers have the same
popularity, and it Is impossible 10
keep them inside Of pillow or
cushion two hours at time.
the loon is particul rly gifted with
voice. At one time this curious
creature can frighten the life out OF
you. almost. by snorting for all the
world like an enrsged bear and the
next minute will surprise you by COO
ing almost as softly as a ring dove.
But night is the time when the loon
comes out strongest as IA striking vocal
ist No one who hears for the first
time the song of the loon at night,
amid the solitude of lakeside camp,
high among isolated hills. will ever be
able to forget it. In the summer,
when the nights are moonlit, the loon
seems best to love to show his accom-
plishments in vocal way. The great
est of these is its power OF vcntrilo-
qIism. II you have lived much in the
vicinity OF backwoods lakes. you have
undoubtedly often heard woodsmen
tell OF the ventriloquial gifts Of the
loon, but il you never had auricuar
proof of it you, of course, doubted the
existence OF such power. You won't
doubt it after you hear it. | will
never forget the time | was convinced
of it. had seen plenty of looms here
on Lake Keuka. but / had never been
where they spent their summers. One
summer was camping in the North
Woods with native guide. Our tent
was only few feet from the shore OF
one of the numerous small lakes in
that region. l lay in the tent one
night, watching the spectral play OF
the moonbeams on the water, in and
out among the shadows, gliding the
noiseless ripples till the surface seem
ed a FURNISHED sheet OF hammered
brass. The silence was oppressive.
Suddenly there arose from the lake,
and apparently from its farthest shore,
a prolonged, haIi-satisied wall. II
gradually increased in volume until it
was almost shrek, which died away
in wall similar TO the one with
which the stirling cry had begun.
The wall was still in my ears when a
blood-curdling yell-a yell expressive
OF supreme terror, smote the silence.
IL came from somewhere on the shore,
near the tent and 10 the right OF it.
This irightful yell ended in a wild
burst OF Economical sound. 1t was still
echoing through the forest when. from
the left shore OF the | Ike, and far
away, moan, as OF utter hopeless
ness and despair. broke on the solemn
stiffness. rising and falling away into
cilappa with pahanCp sad that "a
sense OF most burdening melancholy
succeeded to the influence OF the
forests midnight quiet AS soon as
could shake off the depression IL
weighed me with / arose hurriedly
and seized my gun. | awoke my com
pInion and told him OF the fearful
sounds | had heard.
My companion pointed to the lake.
There, gliding slowly on the surface,
its long neck and bill outlined dis
tinctly as it Aoated in the moonlight,
was the loon. 1t had come out from
the shadows near the shore, not three
rods away. ! stepped forward quickly
with my gun. Instantly the long
neck disappeared and a rim OF SHIN
mering rippes on the surface OF the
lake alone marked the spot where the
strange creature had been.
When he comes up ag'in he'll
morn likely be mile away said the
guide. You won't see him gin to-
night. but the chances is that you II
hear him
Perhaps five minutes passed. and
then two loud. wild, staccato notes,
sounding but few rods away, came
from the lake. They were quickly
followed by series of exultant
chuckles. which seemed near when
they began, but grew fainter with
each succeeding chuckle until the last
one was heard but family in the
distance.
but the greatest accomplishment a
loon has is its power OF lodging "a bull