104 LAND OF THE LINGERING SNOW. 



boat fast, for not more than two hundred yards 

 from us were the five ducks floating tranquilly 

 in the sheltered lagoon. So silent had been our 

 approach, that although the wind was behind us, 

 the ducks did not suspect our coming. Our 

 glasses made the beautiful creatures seem only 

 a few rods distant, and we watched them closely. 

 One of them was a black or dusky duck, the 

 most abundant species at this season. The other 

 four were mergansers, called also goosanders, 

 fish ducks, or sheldrakes. Two were males, two 

 females ; the drakes had lustrous bottle-green 

 heads, and bodies which appeared snowy white. 

 They were enjoying the sunlight, and drifting 

 along slightly with the wind. The black duck 

 kept with them, yet a little apart, a duck, yet 

 not one of the family. They preened themselves, 

 and soft white feathers floated lightly away upon 

 the ripples. When we had watched long enough, 

 a blow upon the gunwale alarmed the flock. 

 They swam a few feet, first one way, then an- 

 other. Every motion showed alertness. A sec- 

 ond sound booming across the water started 

 them. Their wings dashed the waves into foam- 

 ing furrows several feet long ; then with steady 

 flight they rose in a long diagonal and passed 

 out of sight behind the birches. But only four 

 flew. Sweeping the water with our glasses we 

 discovered the black duck still floating upon its 



