THE OOLOQIST 



97 



A Black Duck's Odd Mishap. 

 While hunting at Sager's Pond in 

 Passaic Co., N. J., on November 19, 

 1910, I came upon a flock of six Blaclt 

 Duclvs at the northern end of the 

 pond. The birds, with the exception 

 of one, arose when I approached with- 

 in two hundred feet and flew off in a 

 northerly direction. The one which 

 remained was also trying its best to 

 get away, but was apparently held by 

 something underneath the surface of 

 the pond. Upon first sight I assumed 

 it was entangled in some submerged 

 bush or water plant and would pres- 

 ently release itself and be off to join 

 its fellows. But to my great surprise 

 it still continued to battle with its in- 

 visible enemy and was drawn below 

 the surface and again appeared about 

 twenty feet away after an elapse of 

 five minutes. The bird by this time 

 appeared about half exhausted. It 

 was drawn below twice again and the 

 last time it came up it was within ten 

 feet of the shore in about a foot of 

 water. I then found that an eighteen- 

 inch pickerel was fast to its right foot 

 and from all indications there appear- 

 ed but little hope of the bird releas- 

 ing itself as the fish's teeth were firm- 

 ly imbedded in the web of the duck's 

 foot. After struggling in the shallow 

 water for about two minutes, the pick- 

 erel finally conquered and began mak- 

 ing for deeper water. I immediately 

 sprang into the pond and seized the 

 pair and brought them to shore. The 

 duck was so exhausted from its odd 

 experience, that it expired a few min- 

 utes after landing. The pickerel, how- 

 ever, still hung on to its rival with a 

 greater display of tenacity than I have 

 ever witnessed in this species before, 

 and only released its hold when nearly 

 dead. The bird was a full grown male 

 and was about as fine a specimen as 

 has ever come to my attention. 



Louis S. Kohler. 



Nelson's Sparrow and Dunlin. 



On the night of May 26, 1904, we 

 had a continuous performance of 

 heavy thunderstorms. Next day was 

 windy and cloudy. 



While walking along the river 

 bank at town, I saw two shore birds 

 standing on a piece of drift at the 

 water's edge. Taking them for 

 Spotteds or Solitaries, I didn't notice 

 them closely until very near; then I 

 saw that they looked odd. About 

 that time they became very much 

 alarmed and started off. I then saw 

 their red backs and as they turned 

 saw their black bellies, and knew 

 they were Dunlins, and the only ones 

 I ever saw here. 



Hustling home I got my gun and 

 hunted down the river carefully for 

 three miles, but failed to find them. 



At a pond where I looked I flushed 

 a sparrow from some long grass and 

 experience at Erie, Pa., with the Nel- 

 son's caused me to follow up and 

 shoot the bird when it again arose. 

 As I had suspected, it proved to be 

 Nelson's and a male in full dress. 



These are only records for these 

 birds at this place. 



R. B. SIMPSON, 



Warren, Pa. 



It was our desire to devote this is- 

 sue of THE OOLOGIST to the Fly- 

 catcher family as June is the fly- 

 catcher month; but owing to scarcity 

 of material, we were unable so to do. 

 By the time this issue reaches you, 

 Mr. Reader, the oological season for 

 1911 will be about over, and we trust 

 you will give our readers the bene- 

 fit of your observations. Copy is al- 

 ways in demand in this office. 



