IN PURSUIT OF PREY. 315 



greater; again, its gait was different from both. Regularly 

 it hunted to and fro, tail erect, nose down like a spaniel, 

 and back arched like a weasel, occasionally emitting a 

 peculiar sound, as if giving tongue, in the enjoyment of 

 fresher indications and more satisfactory proofs of a 

 rapidly successful termination to its exertions. Twice the 

 unknown passed within thirty paces of my resting-place. 

 Silently I watched the chase ; and so intent did I become, 

 that both black flies and mosquitoes had a splendid har- 

 vest, for a far greater amount of suffering would have been 

 necessary to cause me to make a movement that might 

 prevent my seeing the issue. But the termination was 

 near : the stranger made two or three short casts, like a 

 pointer, to confirm the information that the reward was 

 near, and then with a sudden rush forward seized a fowl 

 what kind I could not tell. I was on my feet in a moment, 

 either with the intention of sharing the spoil or saving 

 life, and rushed for the marauder ; but ere I reached him he 

 dropped his prey, which I secured, and he departed 

 hurriedly for parts unknown. The victim I picked up, and 

 found lifeless, was a fine specimen of the merganser,* about 

 half grown, and, from the wing-feathers not becoming fully 

 developed till a later period of life, unable to fly. The 

 poor duck's skull was crushed into a jelly, so that its early 

 deprivation of life must have caused only a momentary 

 pain. The assassin was the scarce and indigenous fisher, 

 only known in northern latitudes, and much valued for its 

 fur. The little episode was in keeping with what all who 



* In America erroneously called shell-drake. 



