24 



JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



knowing that sooner or later there would 

 be a family reunion. Instead of paying 

 attention to the calls of the mother bird, 

 the little fellow persisted in hovering 

 under the quarter of our boat as if he 

 there found the protection he sought, and 

 we felt almost guilty when we had in- 

 creased our speed beyond his ability and 

 left him behind struggling pitifullj' and 

 sturdily to overtake us. 



An entire paper could be prepared on 

 the notes of the Loon. What a variety 

 there are of them ! A new one for each 

 phase of the weather or change of the 

 season. Its long, quavering call to its 

 mate, its quickly uttered alarm when it 

 finds you have stolen upon it unawares 

 and its long-drawn-out, ringing cry 

 which presages a storm, either of wind 

 or rain. But when I enjoy them most 

 is on some moonlight August night, 

 when they have met in joint convention, 

 each in rollicking good humor, and 

 strive to outlaugh, outcry each other 

 until the echoes catch the madness of 

 the hour and send the uproar back and 

 forth from hill to hill. Then silence 

 ensues, to be broken perhaps, by some 

 female bird, who, delayed at home by 

 protracted family cares, voices her 

 applause. Then the concert recom- 

 mences and barring brief intermissions, 

 closes only when the stars fading in the 

 East, herald the approach of day. 



A Wood Duck in Captivity. 



The Loggerhead Shrike near Port- 

 land. 

 While out driving on June 10th, I 

 came upon a Loggerhead Shrike with 

 brood of young, within the limits of 

 Portland. Their lireeding in this local- 

 ity is unusual. 



A. H. Norton. 



J. C. MEAD. 



Read before the Maine Ornithological Society 

 at Waterville, December 31st, 2898. 



Some fifteen years ago I used portions 

 of the paper I am to read you this even- 

 ing, in a newspaper article, but I have 

 no proof that it was ever read by any 

 one. That is an advantage that a news- 

 paper reader has — he can skip the unin- 

 teresting portions at will, but an audi- 

 ence can only "grin an' bear it." 



Our Wood Duck came to us in Octo- 

 ber when she Avas probably four or five 

 months old. A small boy found her 

 wounded and bewildered on the lake shore 

 and readily parted with her for a con- 

 sideration. When a person, especially 

 if he is very young, has a smattering of 

 scientific lore, he usually strives to call 

 his pets by some part of their Latin 

 names. We had that smattering (but 

 it has proved to have been only of the 

 lingering type, it has never developed 

 into anything acute or serious) so we 

 named our duckling "Sponsa." We 

 should have preferred to have appeared 

 more familiar with her and have ad- 

 dressed her by her front name, but we 

 never could pronounce A-I-X in any 

 way that is not suggestive of pains and 

 kindred afflictions. 



Sponsa's first home, aftei' she became 

 my property, was just a cage as young 

 America always devises for his pet, be 

 tliey bird or beast, — a slatted box with 

 a dark con)partment in one end and a 

 door hung with leather hinges and fas- 

 tened with a wooden button. In this 

 we phiced a basin of water and a few 

 ears of green corn, and to both she took 

 kindly ; corn bread also was a favorite 



