here for the first time from the surrounding 

 ponds where they had been hatched. For 

 two or three days past I had noticed the 

 young broods flying about, exercising their 

 wings in preparation for the long autumn 

 flights. Now they were all gathered on a 

 dry mud-flat surrounded by tall grass, play- 

 ing together and evidently getting acquainted. 

 In the middle of the flat were two or three 

 tussocks on which the grass had been tram- 

 pled and torn down. There was always a 

 duck on each of these tussocks, and below 

 him were four or five more that were plainly 

 trying to get up ; but the top was small and 

 had room for but one, and there was a deal 

 of quacking and good-natured scrambling for 

 the place of vantage. It was a game, plainly 

 enough, for while the birds below were trying 

 to get up the little fellow on top was doing 

 his best to keep them down. Other birds 

 scampered in pairs from one side of the 

 flat to the other; and there was 

 one curious procession, 



269 



