experts at the Aquarium.

The young Arctic Loon, a native of the icy northern wastes, was found starving and near death at Ariel Sands beach.

It died soon afterwards, but immediately found its place in the record books as one of the most unlikely visitors to the Island in history.

"This could never have been predicted,'' said chief conservation officer Dr.

David Wingate. "It's totally illogical in almost every respect, and it's inexplicable at this point in time.

"It's about as improbable a record as we could ever get.'' Dr. Wingate said the Arctic Loon normally breeds in the Canadian Arctic, Alaska, Siberia, and northern Europe, and spends the winter in British Columbia, Japan or on other Pacific coasts.

"It doesn't normally occur in the Atlantic at all, and if it does it occurs in the winter or further north. To get one in the summer, in the tropics, in this part of the ocean, is totally out of context.'' The bird was found at Ariel Sands by Bermuda High School student, 13-year-old Jenny Lapsley. "It was just sitting in the water, floating,'' she said.

"It didn't look so good, and it didn't fly or anything. It was pretty thin.'' Jenny and her mother took the bird to the Aquarium, where it later died. It is to be studied and then stuffed.

WAY OFF TRACK -- An Arctic Loon, never before recorded in Bermuda, was spotted at Ariel Sands beach by 13-year-old Jenny Lapsley. It is now being studied by Aquarium experts.