Shankland — On Birds on Otonabee River. 17 



"AlthoLio^h the wild ducks are not nearly as abundant now 

 as they were fifty years ago, they are still quite plentiful in the 

 river marshes in summer, and all along the river and Rice 

 Lake during the spring and fall migrating seasons. In fact, 

 during the fall season, they often fairly swarm all along the 

 river and on the lake, where flocks containing many thousands 

 of individuals are often seen. 



" The largest single company of ducks that I ever recorded 

 was an immense flock seen on Rice Lake on Sept. 29, 1888. 

 Prior to that date, a cold north wind had been blowing for two 

 days, and as a result of it, waterfowl of many different spe- 

 cies were winging their way southward. That morning I took 

 my shotgun and canoe and paddled down to Rice Lake to see 

 if anything of interest were transpiring in its vicinity. When 

 I reached the mouth of the river and gazed out across the lake, 

 a strangely interesting sight met my gaze. Above the middle 

 portion of it the air was fairly alive with wild ducks of many 

 diflr'erent species. As far as the eye could see, they were circ- 

 ling through the air or hovering over the water. Some min- 

 utes later they began to settle down at a distance of half a mile 

 from the northern shore, and after nearly all had alighted, 

 they made the lake look black over an area more than a mile 

 long and 100 feet wide. I sat' still in my canoe watching them 

 with eager eyes for a long time, until finally I noticed that they 

 were becoming restless. Then, upon looking about to find the 

 cause of their uneasiness, I saw a party of Mississauga In- 

 dians approaching them from the east in canoes. Soon after, 

 the Indians opened fire upon the ducks, thereby causing the 

 entire company to rise from the water and commence circling 

 about over the lake again. Up till that time I had contented 

 myself with sitting idly in the canoe enjoying the scene, but 

 when I saw the ducks dropping into the lake by the dozens be- 

 fore the efifective aim of the redskins, I paddled out within 

 range and opened fire on my own account. It goes without 

 saying that I secured all the ducks I wanted, and when ten 

 o'clock came there were seventy-two dead birds in the canoe. 



