1889
(Sept. 25)
near Bottle Brook heard a bird call repeatedly on the
river bank. I took it for a Wood Duck. Jim said it 
was a partridge. He was doubtless right for on paddling
to the spot I discovered a Grouse sitting on a log & shot 
it. At the report of the gun several others rose & alighted
in the trees & bushes. I shot both barrels of both guns in
rapid succession then reloaded and fired two more shots
killing six birds in almost as many seconds. I am very
sure that none escaped.
[margin]Partridge 
Shooting.[/margin]
[margin]Entire flock 
of six birds 
killed in 
less than 
a minute[/margin]
  Reaching Bottle Brook Pond we landed and lunched. Then 
I crept in to the lower cove. A single Merganser there which
I left unmolested. On the point passed within a few yards
of two Grouse. In the second cove discovered a Wood Duck
asleep on the end dead prong at least ten feet above the 
water, a shapeless mass with head buried under feathers of back.
Two others similarly enjoying themselves lower down on the
same branch. Got within 20 yards but could not get two
together so retreated and attempted to approach from a different
direction, when a flock of about a dozen heard or saw me &
started arousing the sleepers of course. I fired one barrel
at long range dropping a bird with a broken wing. It at
once went ashore on the other side of the cove. I then returned
to where I left the Grouse and easily found & killed them
both. Upon reaching the place where the Wood Duck landed Don
took her track & followed it across a ridge to a hollow where
there was a pond of rain water. In some grass on its edge
he found and pointed his bird but she eluded his spring
and flopped off over the water diving near the middle of the
pond. I did not see her again nor could the dog strike any
scent about the pond. I waded all over it but could not find
her clinging to the bottom. Where she went is a mystery. Shot
a single Black Duck and two from a flock in the third cove all sitting.
Coming through Moll's Carry in the twilight fired at a Short-eared(?) Owl sitting
on a stub at 65 yards and missed.
[margin]Bottle Brook 
Pond.[/margin]
[margin]Wood Ducks[/margin]