204 THE NATURALIST OF THE ST. CROIX 



place and I can go to St. Andrews or Eastport if I can do any- 

 thing. St. Andrews is a very quiet, pleasant place but don't like 

 the company. We must try to go to Grand Manan and other 

 places and hope Mrs. Boardman will be well enough and all the 

 ladies go over. With much love to all. 



Yours truly, 



Geo. A. Boardman. 



Milltown, 4 Aug., 1870. 

 Dear Baird : 



I have but just received your letter, very glad you are having 

 such a nice time boating and fishing. I see by the papers the 

 weather has been very warm west. I am glad you found a cool 

 place. We have had a few warm days, but to-day is almost cool 

 enough for a fire. Mrs. Boardman is very poorly, takes most of 

 my time to see to her. I keep her out riding all I can, the doctor 

 wants her to be kept free from care and excitement. She is very 

 nervous ; last week, hardly left her room, but this week is better. 

 I notice what you say about the duck. I don't know about the 

 female Red Head, the bird has always been very rare with us. I 

 don't know as I ever saw a female to know it, the male, I have got 

 one or two of the gunners but a long time ago ; the size was so 

 small I did not think of its being the female of the .Ring Neck, as 

 the male is quite a good sized duck, and this not larger than a 

 Ruddy or Teal. I have just been looking at the description of the 

 female of the Ruddy, and it is so short I cannot make much out of 

 it. I have also looked at Audubon's description and plate, which 

 does not look anything like this bird, only the spot on the wing is 

 the same. Audubon says its breast is white. This bird has a very 

 dark ruddy, or chestnut brown breast, and belly about the same as 

 the Ruddy. Audubon's description does not come near it, but he 

 may not have seen it in breeding plumage if it changes, and he 

 says the male has large tufts in breeding time. Should it be the 

 Ring Neck, it would be something new to have it breeding in 

 Maine. Frank Todd was up at the same place shooting, and I told 

 him to keep a sharp lookout for this duck, and he found another 

 brood and old one. The old one he missed but shot one chick 

 which was the same, so there were two broods. 



