Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-06-03
las CRAZY AS A LOOM"
Old Phrase Seemingly Not a Libel on
That Eccentric Bird.


That Eccentric Bird.
Gone often hears the expression
tAs crazy as a loon, and yet l won
DER" says a writer in st. Nicholas,
chow many realize how peculiarly
fitting it sometimes is. Of all the
birds and animals that have come
under my observation know of
none that in any degree approaches
the loon for sheer craziness or
weirdness.
Evening seems to be the looms
favorite time for their peculiar be-
havior. They collect in the middle
Of a lake, and when they have sum-
moned all Of their kind within hear
ing the ball commences. They raise
their bodies half out of water by
furiously tapping their wings, at
the same time making most ter
rife splashing.
"They then propcl themselves
backward and forward, half swim
ming, half flying, all the while
screaming at the top Of their voices.
They keep this up from ten to tif-
teen minutes and seem to get a
great deal Of satisfaction out of it.
In the calm OF summer evening
and aided a bit by the echoes a half
dozen looms can make the fellows in
a college cheering section hang their
heads for shame.
'sThe loon is not only crazy act
ing, but at times is very .aggravat-
ing. Perhaps-for instance, after
hard day-you are sitting by the
campfire, quietly smoking and at
peace with the whole world. Sud-
denly there breaks upon your ears
the most bloodcurdling scream; fol-
lowed by heartrcnding cries. Your
first thought is that there is a child
being murdered or a woman in dis
tress, and you start to your feet.
Then you realize it is only a loon.
Cor perhaps, having turned in,
you are sleeping tho sleep that
comes only in the pine scented
north. Again you start and wake as
you hear a long, mournful cry echo
ing through the forest and involun-
tarily excl;lim. 'Wolvcs.r There is
grunt, and the sleepy voice OF your
guide comes from the depth of his
blankets, Non. m sieu; LOOM
I'm the morning a hunter arises
bent on vengeance for his broken
repose and resolves to destroy the
fiend as he sits mirro:ed in the lake.
Although the modern cartridge rifle
gives no warning of the shot, as did
the old fashioned flintlock with its
flash in the pan, nevertheless the
! loon nearly every time seems to
know when the bullet is coming and
dives just in time to escape. lmmc-
diately after the discharge of the ri
file the loon is sercnely up again, his
hooking laughter being but an add
ed irritation. On the whole he
seems rather to enjoy the perform
ance.
AS a diver the loon exccls, and
naturally, for it is his sole means Of
livelihood. Not only is he marvel
ously quick, but he can remain un-
der water for seemingly endless
time. In swimming under water he
uses both wings and feet and can go
for several hundred yards in this
fashion. The loon. like many other
water fowls, sleeps on the water
: with his head tucked under his
wing.
"Several summers ago a friend of
) mine while camped on Lake Kia-
mika was out for an early morning
paddle. 1t was just after dawn and
; very still. Out on the lake he espied
a sleeping loon, and by dint Of care
: full padding he actually succeeded
in approaching and capturing him.
Proud of his capture, he took the
loon ashore and tethered him to a
stake. The loon struggled at first,
but after awhile seemed to become
reconciled. All went we'll until
: nightfall. Then the loon set up
such a hideous cutlery and kept It
up so persistently that before morn.
ing he had earned his freedom"
How to Light Solid Body.