114 GAME-BIRDS AT HOME. 



safety on high when we came too near, the little 

 ones went under in a flash. Standing up in the 

 boat I could plainly see the golden line they 

 made in the water, and the stream of fine bub- 

 bles rising from their course. Often I was near 

 enough to see them kick lustily out behind with 

 their little feet, and marvelous time they would 

 make, rising for a moment to catch breath, and 

 then darting quickly under, until where the pur- 

 ple petals of the water-target were brightening 

 above its leaves they vanished in the darkening 

 water. 



Huge pickerel furrowed the water ahead of 

 the boat as it rode the ponds and sloughs, and 

 threw themselves often out of water in a shining 

 curve in the rush for some minnow on the sur- 

 face. By standing up in the boat in some of 

 the deeper sloughs scores of bass could be seen 

 lying in the depths with little apparent concern, 

 though darting away like light at the first motion 

 that indicated danger. At night the jack-light 

 in the head of the boat revealed a strange popu- 

 lation of buffalo-fish, sheepshead, and other vari- 

 eties, with great pickerel and stupendous catfish 

 worth going far to see. 



