Oct. 1884.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



125 



Notes from Rehoboth, Mass. 



PART m. WATER BIRDS. 



This season's observations among the 

 few varieties of ''Water Birds" which may 

 be found in this vicinity, developed no un- 

 usual facts of interest, no new species be- 

 ing noticed, and the regular frequenters 

 pursuing, so far as observed, the same 

 methods of housekeeping as in former 

 seasons. 



May 2d, while Perch fishing on Palmer's 

 river, I found two nests of the "Wood Duck, 

 both in hollow "Buttonwocds" with a sur- 

 prisingly small entrance for the size of the 

 Duck. These same trees have been occu- 

 pied by this species of Duck ever since my 

 acquaintance with the locality, some five 

 years or more. The sets numbered eleven 

 and nine respectively, the contents of the 

 nest being easily seen, as there were two 

 holes in each near the bottom of the cavi- 

 ty, as though worn through by long usage. 



A nest of twelve eggs of this Duck was 

 taken April 23, 1880. Incubation unknown. 

 They were set under a- domestic Pekin Duck. 

 May 14th, nine little ducklings rewarded me 

 for my pains, and very proud was I of my 

 success. Having kept the old Duck in con- 

 finement, I turned the little brood over to 

 her care, and was surprised and gratified 

 to see her take kindly to them. 



I tethered the mother with a liberal cord 

 and showed my quaint looking youngsters 

 to admiring friends. For about a week 

 matters thus proceeded, when I awoke one 

 inorning to find that Mrs. Duck had sev- 

 ered the string which held her foot, and 

 together with her little family, had swam 

 peacefully down Rocky-brook — to her fate 

 — for as I afterwards learned, as they 

 passed under the highway bridge, in the 

 gray dawn, a sportsman (?) shot the parent 

 bird, and left the ducklings to the more 

 merciful mink and turtle. 



The Dusky Duck breeds sparingly. A 

 nest was found April 30. It was hollowed 

 out at the foot of an old haystack, and 



extended in twenty-seven inches, being 

 completely hidden by a curtain of hay 

 hanging over the entrance. It contained 

 ten eggs; incubation slight. The nest 

 would not have been found had it not been 

 for the old bird hissing like a snake as I 

 passed by it. A farmer found a set of 

 thirteen eggs of this Duck and hatched 

 them all under a common hen, and at latest 

 information all were living, awaiting the 

 ignoble end of perishing at the block. 



The familiar notes of the Spotted Sand- 

 piper are heard throughout the season. 

 Their nests are simple structures of root- 

 lets, with the eggs lying with small ends 

 together. Their nests are usually found 

 in some old cultivated field, independent 

 of its proximity to water. 



Only one nest of the Killdeer have I 

 ever found, although the birds are plen- 

 tiful in August in ponds and water courses. 

 The nest was among the rocks just above 

 high water mark, and contained, May 30, 

 four eggs, just on the point of hatching. 



In a small cedar swamp a colony of 

 Night Herons hold undisputed possession. 

 Only once did the spirit of investigation 

 prompt me to intrude upon their domains. 

 That I was uninvited company was evident 

 at once. Their clamor was such as my 

 companion expressed it, u that he couldn't 

 hear himself think." Our climbing irons 

 were at home, and after several futile en- 

 deavors to " shin" the slimy smooth trees, 

 we withdrew with the "Fable of the Fox 

 and sour grapes," in mind. The following 

 varieties of the Heron family have been 

 taken in this vicinity : Greatblue Heron ; 

 Green Heron ; Black-crown Night Heron ; 

 American Bittern and Least Bittern. 

 • During the spring and fall migration the 

 number of shore birds is greatly aug- 

 mented. Prominent among the list of 

 these visitors are the Black-bellied Plover, 

 Golden Plover, " Yellow Legs" and Pec- 

 toral Sandpiper, while the Ducks are rep- 

 resented by the Teals, (both varieties, but 

 principally the Blue-wing), and the Scaup. 



