AMONG THE WATER FowL 
tify every one, and note each motion. Some were 
paddling about, others were pluming themselves 
on the shore, but they all kept in pairs, as they did 
also when they flew. Among them was one pair 
of Green-winged Teal, a species that is very scarce 
in Dakota in the breeding season. 
The next morning Towas out at the breakior 
day, even’ before it was. light enowgh ‘towseertnae 
birds. I soon found a series of small sloughs which 
were just full of Ducks. Each slough that I ap- 
proached gave forth a score ofso of searcherseiton 
breakfast and the early worm. That unfortunate 
creature this morning must have felt sluggish and 
indisposed, for it had been cold enough during the 
night to skim the sloughs over with ice near the 
shores. [The muddy flats had also an icy crust, and 
my first exploit while trying to wade one was to trip 
on this crust and pitch headlong. To save myself, 
] naturally put out my arms, and inoup ‘tothe 
shoulders they went in the cold, wet ooze! The 
Ducks quacked loudly, as if mocking, and I fear I 
should have lost my temper, but for so many inter- 
esting things that made wet clothes and a mud- 
plaster trifles not worthy of interrupting the pleasant 
chain of thought. 
A walk of about a mile from here brought us to 
a larger and more open lake. Large flocks of Ducks 
of various kinds were resting upon its surface, and a 
pair of Great Marbled Godwits were feeding on the 
prairie near the margin. A very tall bird stood on 
the shore, with long neck extended, taking note of 
our approach. We thought it was a Sand-hill Crane, 
but, when it swam out into the lake, we perceived 
yp? 
