igoi] Scott — Birds of Algoma. 157 



we concluded it mig'ht have a family somewhere in the vicinity. 

 We forgot all about the duck until some hours after when, pass- 

 ing- an inlet, we saw something moving in the reeds. Through 

 the field glass we distinguished them as a whole family of young 

 duck. Thinking to approach them by guile we passed the inlet, 

 landed farther up on the shore, and stealing over the rocks, care- 

 ful to step only on the moss so our approach could not be heard, 

 we sought a closer vision. No duckling was in sight. We after- 

 wards entered the inlet and searched for some trace of our game, 

 but again the birds proved themselves too wary for men. Paddling 

 up the cove to our camping-ground a solitary kingfisher passed 

 us uttering his rubber doll squeak. 



The second day we paddled up the bay for two miles in search 

 of a portage that would take us into a chain of lakes which lay 

 north of the mountain range. Several wild ducks passed us, but 

 flying too high for identification. The only portage we crossed 

 was one that led up precipices so steep as to preclude the possi- 

 bility of carrying the large canoe across. Climbing this path we 

 were suddenly halted by a covey of partridge who with ruffled 

 neck feathers seemed to ask us to get out of their way. They 

 finally concluded to give us the road and moved aside with no 

 more tear than so many chickens. It was in climbing this eleva- 

 tion that we noted the singular absence of small birds through 

 this region. No other birds met our eye until we were pushing 

 off our canoe to return to Killarney, when we disturbed a small 

 sandpiper who evidently felt he was the sole possessor of this 

 long-stretching beach. 



The next morning, having exchanged our one large canoe for 

 two smaller ones, we paddled out on a heavily rolling sea to cross 

 four miles of Georgian Bay into the entrance of Collins' Inlet. 

 After three hours paddling we made the lee of the first island 

 where we landed to caulk our canoes and dry our water-soaked 

 cargoes. This island known as One Tree Island, proved a perfect 

 rendezvous of the gulls, who protested against our lighting a camp 

 fire. The castings of the birds showed that they frequently lunched 

 on the blue-berries, with which these rocks abound. We cooked 

 our supper five mil?s up th§ inlet, 3.nd \vhilst gathering some blue- 



