Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-01-01
.eREAr NORTHERN DIVER"


you would never think hat the above
i-tocratic title is synonym for loon.
Colymbus Gidcialis is another name, sci
dom used except In natural histories.
Crazy as a loon" people say, but there
are lev living creatures that have their
wits about them more constantly than the
loon he only appear nee OF insanity
about him is the shrill and mirthless
laugh in which be ,metimes INDUCES.
This harsh aughser Is not the looms only
note A long mournfui cry. repeated y
number OF times, l. more often heard,
And " hen this SOUND is uttered in the sol
itude of the wood. from the surface OF a
lake it gives one feeling as II the spirit
OF the wilderness we're trying to converse
with him.
This note Is most effective when heard
coming from the ocean Let this sound
mingie with the pitiless aud solemn cra-h
OF the sea on the each on a gray morn
ing in November; when storm is coming
on, and know OF nothing more adapted
to causing inconsistencies, There Is kind
OF irresistible personality Ia II that let's a
nervous erson to thinking all sorts OF
mean th ngs about himself aud inspires
d, gut with all human artiicialties.
l regard the loon as the most beautifully
plumsged bird that visits Us, with the ex-
ception of that fairy prince, the male
wood duck. The head and neck are biuish
cen and purple There is beautiful
hite collar OF auted feathers In the neck.
The upper part Is black, handsomely
marked with white polka dots and larger
squares Below, his fes hers are a ius-
trous viii TIE young birds are not 30
brilliantly spotted. TIE length is two and
a half feet The weight varies. large,
fat bird some lines weighs thirty pounds
The wings are small, but when the loon
Is we'll started he get ahead very swiftly.
When two OF these birds are scaling al ng
together they often approach quite near
ca other, and each bird tips his inner
wing up so IS to form with the other bird
an inverted v. have seen swallows do
the same thing 1t is a curious rick, and
the reason thereof is known only to the
looms The loon uses both wing. and feet
under water and no bird can oise so sud-
denly or swim so fast and far under water.
-s
Indeed, not many fish are speedier than
the loon 1t Is no difhculf feat Tor MIN 10
"hy" quarter oil mile under water
He will put his head under at the flash
OF a gun, and the heaviest shot rattle
harmlessiy against tn thick wac OF feath-
| ers that guards his entire oooy. Possibly
IL he comes up near you and you are
ooi.k euouph To hhoot before the water Ia
out OF his eyes and before he has time 10
breath. you may knock him over. IL you
do, what good Is he? They says people
| eat looms on the coast, but they are toush,
rank. oily, ny beyond descr ption
should prefer crow, or even skunk. Inc
| feathers are OF use, but 1t Is too bad 10 dis
arrange such lovely jacket You might
have him stuffed, but the huge creature Us
out of place in the house. A Lake or
| ocean is the proper p ace for him. A
fancy screen Is too tame background A
rifle comes In better play II you are gun
ming for looms FOR my part, after once
taking part in the butchery OF mother
loon, have never had any desire to Kill
| one.
htS AO0h "hH seiis toS q iNSa Nbs%NNAa
In the middle OF the pond. The young
loon could not dive well, but although
| warned by frequent bullets. the old bird
| stayed by her young till che died First
she placed her broad back beneath the
squad and swan away tn 1t. This, OF
course, impeded her very much. AS e
pea rod bes handling the naddIe she MT
.s ~ .tt-..n dasn,;.;,, .r T
.efeo 'ne weir h"o"h oe~pa"'s e'S
have spoken OF. Occasionally her fears
got the better Of her affections, and the
wo,,a afys h,, sba con,d NO, ,a.ya her
Guild. flnaiiy sing from Inc "ihches-
ter completed the tragedy. The young
one which had been the iunoeent canse OF
us haothes oea'n' sM"in amer Us "neh
we took in he old bird, and could not be
driven away. We took il home. but IL
-, a.s a,od II. q .,,v ra
SWIM " ~ p"s
to feed a young loon. since that time,
and indeed at that time, have never felt