WILD PASTURES 



of him, and again began boating him in 

 toward the shore. He showed less un- 

 easiness this time, but dived and swam 

 out again after considerable more press- 

 ing. Again and again I repeated this, 

 sometimes getting no sight of him un- 

 der water, again seeing him move along 

 very plainly. At no time did I notice 

 any motion of the wings under water. 

 I have been told that wild ducks when 

 swimming beneath the surface make 

 most of their progress with their wings, 

 quite literally flying under water. This 

 may be, but I have no evidence of it in 

 the under-water action of this one. 



Again, it has been sagely impressed 

 upon me by old duck hunters that you 

 could tell in what direction from your 

 boat a bird would rise by noting the 

 way in which his bill pointed when he 

 went under. I think it was Adirondack 

 148 



