ahead to hide securely. For five miles they 

 kept ahead of us, rushing out at each succes- 

 sive stretch of water, and fairly distancing us 

 in a straight run. When we camped they 

 were still below us. At dusk I was sitting 

 motionless near the river when a slight move- 

 ment over near the opposite bank attracted 

 me. There was the mother bird, stealing 

 along up stream under the fringe of bushes. 

 The young followed in single file. There 

 was no splashing of water now ; no evidence 

 of fright or hurry. Shadows were not more 

 noiseless. 



Twice since then I have seen them do the 

 same thing. I have no doubt they returned 

 that evening all the way up to the feeding 

 grounds where we first started them ; for, like 

 the kingfishers, every bird seems to have 

 his own piece of the stream. He never fishes 

 in his neighbor's pools, nor will he suffer any 

 poaching in his own. On the Restigouche 

 we found a brood every few miles ; on other 

 rivers, less plentifully stocked with trout, 

 they are less numerous. On lakes there is 

 often a brood at either end ; but though I have 



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'^t/aseeAho 



