202 



Day after day I have attended such Httle 

 schools, unseen and unsuspected by the 

 ^^foaseekho mother bird. Sometimes it was the a-b-c 

 class, wee little downy fellows, learning to 

 hide on a lily pad, and never getting a reward 

 of merit in the shape of a young trout till 

 they hid so well that the teacher (somewhat 

 over-critical, I thought) was satisfied. Some- 

 times it was the baccalaureates that displayed 

 their talents to the unbidden visitor, flashing 

 out of sight, cutting through the water like 

 a ray of light, striking a young trout on the 

 bottom with the rapidity and certainty almost 

 of the teacher. It was marvelous, the diving 

 and swimming; and mother bird looked on 

 and quacked her approval of the young 

 graduates. 



While all this careful training is going on 

 at home, the drake is off on the lakes some- 

 where with his boon companions, having a 

 good time, and utterly neglectful of parental 

 responsibility. Sometimes I have found clubs 

 of five or six, gay fellows all, living by them- 

 selves at one end of a big lake where the 

 fishing was good. All summer long they 



