NEW MODE OF EATING TROUT. 



163 



not blame her for this, for she had hitherto kept 

 within reach of certain death if I had chosen to fire. 

 But it was curious to observe in what exact proportion 

 her care for herself increased as the danger to her off- 

 spring lessened. She would rise and fly some dis- 

 tance, then alight in the water, and await our 

 approach. If she sailed • out of sight a moment, she 

 would wheel and look back, and even swim back, till 

 she saw us following after, when she would move off 

 again. The foolish thing really believed she was out- 

 witting us, and, I have no doubt, had many self-com- 

 placent reflections on the ease with which ducks could 

 humbug human beings. After we had proceeded in 

 this way about half a mile, she rose into the air, and 

 striking the Raquette River, sped back by a circular 

 sweep to her young. As her form disappeared round 

 a bend of the stream, I could not help murmuring, 

 " Heaven speed thee, anxious mother." Ah, what a 

 chattering there was amid the reeds when her shadow 

 darkened over the hiding-place, and she folded her 

 wings amid her offspring, and listened with matronly 

 dignity to the story each one had to tell ? 



All this, however, was speedily forgotten as we 

 emerged on the lake, whose bosom was swept by a 



