202 OUT WITH THE BIRDS 



on the calm water reposed seven Canada geese. 

 At this date they come from their more seclusive 

 summer haunts and move out to the lakes 

 where grain-fields and good living are close to 

 the water. They are the first of the geese to be 

 noted in the fall, yet the last to leave the North, 

 and usually remain till the last water-hole is ice- 

 locked. 



Around at the southwest corner, the island 

 ran out in a flat which in the present stage of 

 the water was a narrow mud-bar, and it was this 

 point that had been in my mind all day. Yet 

 when I very cautiously crawled to the outskirts 

 of the woods and peeped out upon it, I was dis- 

 appointed, for the great white sentinels I fondly 

 hoped to find there were not in sight. Yet the 

 place was full of interest, for the sunny bar was 

 literally burdened with ducks, and it was good 

 to just lie and watch them. There seemed to be 

 representatives of every duck species on the lake 

 either on or about this bar. Most of them were 

 standing on the mud, but a few bluebills and 

 canvasback as usual refused to come ashore. 

 Half a dozen herons were standing hunched-up 

 among the crowd and occasionally taking a short 

 walk just to disturb everyone. Running along 



