January, 1892.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



We arrived in Ipswich at 1.40, and went at 

 once to Boynton's stable for a team to take us 

 to the beach, which is about a five-mile drive. 

 This is a very pleasant drive. As we got out of 

 the village the fields and large hills continually 

 reminded us of the pleasant times we had had 

 with the Upland Plover. Then, as we got 

 along further, we could see the snow-white 

 sand hills glistening in the sun, and also Hog 

 Island, which looms up above the other hills 

 in gigantic proportions. 



As we drive along, with the crisp air blowing 

 in our faces and the smell of the salt marshes 

 greet us, it brings back many pleasant remem- 

 brances, and we passed such remarks as 

 " Here's where we shot the Red-wing Hawk," 

 "Remember how we got into the grass birds 

 here," etc. Birds appeared to be very scarce 

 on the way down. There were plenty of Crows 

 and that was all. 



We arrived at the beach at 3.1.5, and I guess 

 the driver earned his money trying to get the 

 horse out of a walk, but he (the horse) was a 

 fine one if anyone wanted to take in the scenery. 

 As soon as we landed at our destination we 

 were out of the team, traps and all, and mak- 

 ing a bee-line for our cottage. After opening 

 it up, so as to air it out, we proceeded to 

 change our clothes, fill our pockets with 

 shells, and go down and get the boat oft' and 

 get over to a fav(nite hunting ground for 

 Longspurs, Snowllakes, Shore Larks, etc. We 

 found the Shore Larks very abundant and 

 secured several fine specimens, which I shall 

 mount. We also noted some few Snowflakes 

 but were unable to secure any specimens. 



I have never seen so many Crows together 

 as there were about sunset. There was a con- 

 tinual riight of large flocks for about an hour 

 flying from tlie direction of Hog Island and 

 tow.ud the beach. There seemed to be a few- 

 Ducks flying, but the prospect looked slim at 

 this time. We got back to the cottage at 

 about .5.30, and while Frank built the fire I went 

 to get some milk and other things that we 

 wanted at the hotel, where they are always 

 ready to help a fellow out on anything he 

 needs in the way of food. When I got back 

 Frank had a rousing fire going, and the frag- 

 rant smell of potatoes told me that he had not 

 been idle. While he was frying jjotatoes and 

 making coffee I set the the table and put 

 things in order, and at 6 o'clock we sat down 

 to supper, which, to use Frank's words "that 

 if any king kicked at, he did not know when 

 he had a good thing." But laying joking 

 aside, I would not have taken the best turkey 



dinner that the Adams House of Boston could 

 have got up for that supper of fried potatoes, 

 bread, sausages and hot coffee, with the 

 surroundings. After supper we washed the 

 dishes and sat down by the fire to spend the 

 remainder of the evening in singing, playing 

 the harmonica and talking over the pros- 

 pects of a good morning for ducks. At 9 

 o'clock we started to go to bed, and after a 

 pillow-fight and a good deal of joking we got 

 to sleep. 



The first thing I remember after this was 

 Frank punching me and telling me it was 

 quarter of five. We got up at once and in 

 thirty minutes we had a hot fire and a steam- 

 ing breakfast, and by the time we got ready to 

 go out it was 6 o'clock. It was a beautiful 

 morning. The stars were shining brightly and 

 in tlie east behind a bank of clouds could be 

 seen the faint streaks of the sun just coming 

 up. The river was like glass and as we rowed 

 across to our blind we left a wake that we 

 could see way across it. The Crows had com- 

 menced to fly back and all the noise of any 

 kind that we could hear came from them. 

 By the time we got our decoys set and settled 

 in our blind it was quite light. 



The first birds seen were a pair of 

 Whistlers coming up the river, but they gave 

 us a wide berth. Then they commenced to 

 come along singly and in pairs, but not in 

 our direction, and we commenced to think 

 that this was not one of the days that Ducks 

 decoyed. Frank complained of his feet being 

 cold so I said "go back of the bank and get 

 them warm but be careful not to scare any 

 Ducks if any come along." He had hardly got 

 away before a pair flew by, sheldrakes I think, 

 but did not come in. I was .sitting there 

 thinking about pulling in the decoys and 

 going after Snowflakes when I heard a noise 

 that sounded like Whistlers, and almost be- 

 fore I knew it a flock of no less than thirty 

 went past just out of range. They sailed by 

 a way then turned and came straight for the 

 decoys. Pictures of a dozen Ducks laying 

 dead on the water came to me, but alas! so near 

 and yet so far. They set their wings to come 

 down when Frank's head bobbed up from 

 behind and away they went too far off for a 

 shot but I sent two charges of fours after 

 them which made one change his mind about 

 going away. We soon got settled again and 

 had another long wait. Since I had fired at 

 the large flock, biids seemed to be scarcer 

 than before so I concluded to go over on the 

 marsh and see what I could see. I succeeded 



