1 66 BIRD-LAND ECHOES. 



pond, but they didn't take to it ; but the way they'd 

 dive when I showed myself was worth seein'. There 

 was no tamin' 'em, that I could find out, but I like 

 to have 'em around. When there was a rousin' old 

 northeast storm, whole flocks of 'em would take 

 shelter here sometimes, but the gunners soon found 

 'em out and spoilt my fun." 



"Wasn't there any other kind of duck on the 

 pond?" I asked. 



"Plenty, at times, but all of the come-and-go 

 sort, except wood-ducks, that used to breed when 

 there was big timber up the pond ; and once there 

 was a pair of black ducks here all summer. They 

 didn't show themselves much in the daytime, but I 

 saw them every once in a while after dark. How 

 they kept clear of those loafers with guns that's 

 always around is more'n I can tell." 



"Why, don't you suppose that a bird of any kind 

 has cunning and knows a thing or two ?" I asked. 



"Well, I guess," replied the miller; "there's been 

 more'n one cunnin' bird around this mill. Why, the 

 cat-birds and a little yellow singer [summer warbler, 

 he meant] and a lot more got so tame I could go 

 anywhere about 'em, but they didn't let a stranger 

 do it ; and I was tellin' you about a little diver that 

 came up the tail-race. It had side whiskers and a 

 smart way of lookin' at you that showed it was up 

 to snuff It lived under the water as much as on 

 top, and if quickness was all, it didn't make twice 

 for the same minnie." 



" Did it stay in the race?" I asked. 



