The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-01-16
THAT ODD BIRD, the LOON
Ss Dodgss Baiisn ana sessss Huatsrs
with rss wall.
IN. Y. SUM-

Phillips, VIA, Jan. li.-Men who come
into the North Woods with rods ana reels
or modern-bored rifles sometimes have
great sport aud sometimes great trouble
OF spirit, but the man who brings with
him o 22-caliber rifle Ia certain Of fun all
the time. Whatever the whims OF the
fish or scarcity or plenty Of large game,
the loon crop never falls. The Wisconsin
game law forb ids the killing OF any
harmless Bird" 1t lie q generous clause,
because very few birds are utterly harm
less. The loon killer is never prosecuted,
because that bird destroys more fisn In
proportion to its weight than anything
else which swims.
The loon will weigh ordinarily i've
pounds, and to keep this five pounds
going 10 will catch, swallow and digest
twice Its own hefs Ia the course OF day.
Given Q small spring fed body of water
with no outlet ana frequented by looms,
and the fishing there 10 never good, no
matter what the general conditions may
be. 1hs fish are never permitted to reach
a size which would render their capture
| impossible by the bird. They are taken
In out OF the wet by this time they get
a length OF six inches. In larger lakes,
Of course, Il is impossible for any feath-
cred thing to keep down the supply, but
scattered through the woods are many
crystal clear sheets of water which cover
from five to fifty acres. and they would
swarm with fish II IL were not for the
loon. The fish hawk is compelled to sail
above the surface, pick out Its game
swimming near the light and swoop for
Iit. 1t mi sses as often as 1t hits. Ihs
kinghsher must perch upon an over
hanging twia, cock lie head TO one side
and walt for its prey TO come by. IL
misses much m ore often than it bits.
But the loon gets down upon the water
ard under the water aud pursues its prey
into all retreats and It's nav Is CONSTANT
ly full.
1t is probable that as diver the loon
has not an equal in all ornithology.
There Is limit TO the time II is able TO
stay under water, but this limit Is so
stretched that the bird Is practically am
phibious. 1t Is a common thing TO see
a loon at work disappear like flash and
reappear after the lapse Of minutes, half
mile away. Its speed as swimmer Is as
remarkable as the length of Its SUMNER
| sion. 1t cannot catch full-Rrown lass,
but foot for foot II ID faster than any OF
the smaller fishes. When IL gets after
Ied-Hnned perch or bass OF three seasons
growth, the quarry would do as we'll to
stay still and he swallowed. Attempts to
escape only prolong Its agony.
1t is not of especially fast flight, being
slower than any one OF the wild ducks,
though swiftsr than this heron, but II 1t
chooses 10 can remain in flight for hours,
and cover much more than 100 miles. 1t
doss not often take flights Of this kind,
1 Haa ka
| lakes and II can always find stopping
place before fatigue comes. 1t has been
known to make flights of 200 miles with
out stoppage of any kind. In these pas
sages 1t dies high, often more than mile
above the earth, and IL Is silent.
Any man can obtain demonstration
of the looms speed as swimmer by
/ wInginE it on clear, shallow lake and
then getting after 1t In boat The blu d
can be seen plainly, darting along ten
feet under the surface, and he must tie
an expert with ths oars who hopes TO
keen pace with It 1t will travel half
mile In this manner as rapidly as light
boat can be Jerked along, viii shoot 10
! the surface for not more than second
which time suffices to fill its enormous
lungs with air, ana then dart downward
| again to pursue It's subaqueous hight.
This may he kept up for an hour before
the bird shows signs OF fatigue Grad
uaily its bursts will become shorter until
1t becomes too weary to go more thsn ten
yards without fresh supply or air.
Under such circumstances 1t may even ie
captured alive, although many guides
contend that it Will commit suicide be-
fore permitting itself to be taken In the
hand. 1t does this by dtvingto the bot
tom, selling root In Its bill and Fang
ing ON until death irtervenes.
There has been an eerie character about
| this fowl since this first settlers discov-
cred i5. The fear with whic h 1t is regard
ed by some is due In part to It's coloration
" hitch is snow white and Jet black-mueh
mora black than white but much mora
to Its cry. This is difficult to describe.
some writers have caIl3d 1t demoniacal
laughter, but It is not laughter, though
stacoatoed, 1t ts a mixture OF whoop.
laugh and wall, far-sounding, eldritch,
with a strong tremolo quality. This cry
is sounded twenty times IN an hour,
whether the bird is feeding or In flight.
There are few more creepy sounds than
the semi-shrlek of the loon, passing above
\ camp at night, flying 100 yards high
and making all OF the dark woods echo
Trappars, hunters and Indians have built
score OF legends about 1t, and 1t Is dis
tinotiy unpopular with all men who go
much into the forests.
Except for Its effect upon weak nerves,
it is harmless. There Is weil-detined
belief that the loon has constituted itself
the sentinel OF wild life, and gives warn.
man. Often guide, conducting sports
man along the edge of a lake on the look
out for deer will swear tiercely as the
looms call comes to him, and Will say,
''Ihat bird tells everything 1t sses. :"
There is no doubt that the cry is aroused
by its detection of mans presence, but
1t is not likely that other animals have
learned to interpret 1t. II they fed every
time the loon called they would be prac-
tically in perpetual motion. The value
OF the bird as a guardian lie hurt by Its
too frequent noise. The oatbird and the
red squirrel spoil the chances of many
more staikers than the loon.
No one knows why 1t makes Its ciamor.
Wild geese call to one another as a matter
OF guidance or exhortation to keep to-
gether. Ducks squawk and quack and
clack from sociabllity, or to announce
the pre- ssnce of fo5d in plsnty or to give
alarm A loon, however. whiC h is utter
ly alone in the centre Of q large body OF
water, will keep up its clangor for hours.
1t is not expecting Its kindred ana is un-
aware OF any danger. Ii lacks utterly