BLACK DUCK 39 



bird's, or a fox. The dog once caught five black ducks 

 here but partly grown. 



Julys, 1857. Minott says that old Joe Merriam used 

 to tell of his shooting black ducks in the Dam meadows 

 and what luck he had. One day he had shot a couple of 

 ducks and was bringing them home by the legs, when 

 he came to a ditch. As he had his gun in the other 

 hand, and the ditch was wide, he thought he would 

 toss the ducks over before he jumped, but they had no 

 sooner struck the ground than they picked themselves 

 up and flew away, which discouraged him with respect 

 to duck-shooting. 



Oct. 14, 1857. Approaching White Pond by the 

 path, I see on its perfectly smooth surface what I at 

 first mistake for a large raft of dead and black logs and 

 limbs, but it soon elevates itself in the form of a large 

 flock of black ducks, which go off with a loud quacking. 



March 31, 1858. I see about a dozen black ducks on 

 Flint's Pond, asleep with their heads in their backs and 

 drifting across the pond before the wind. I suspect that 

 tbey are nocturnal in their habits and therefore require 

 much rest by day. So do the seasons revolve and every 

 chink is filled. While the waves toss this bright day, 

 the ducks, asleep, are drifting before it across the ponds. 

 Every now and then one or two lift their heads and look 

 about, as if they watched by turns. . . . The leaves are 

 now so dry and loose that it is almost impossible to ap- 

 proach the shore of the pond without being heard by 

 the ducks. 



April 2, 1858. See how those black ducks, swimming 

 in pairs far off on the river, are disturbed by our ap- 



