IN PURSUIT OF PREY. 305 



as I raised myself gently, with, destructive intent to 

 slaughter without compunction those most persevering 

 assailants, my eye caught sight of an animal evidently 

 in full pursuit of some prey : it was not an otter, for 

 its formation was different ; nor a mink, for the size 

 was much greater; again, its gait was different from 

 both. Regularly it hunted to and fro, tail erect, nose 

 down like a spaniel, and hack 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 termi- 

 nation 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 harvest, 

 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 



* In America erroneously called shell-drake. 



x 



