in a rather erect position perfectly motionless. 
  We next crossed the river and went in to the lower
Whale Back pond but found no Ducks there. 
After eating lunch we paddled down river to
Bottle Brook Pond. M. went out on the left-hand
point, I taking the right-hand run. In the right
hand arm I started out a single Black Duck
which I overlooked before showing myself. Near
the end of the point I caught the glare of a 
white breast on an old snag and directing my
glass to the spot made out four Hooded Mergansers
sitting on a log sunning themselves. There was a
good chance to stalk them under cover of the
bushes but they must have heard me for
when I got within shot of the log and
peeped over the bank they were gone and I 
discovered them swimming up the middle of the
pond towards M's station. For a long time they
cruised back and forth in the open water, diving
a good deal for food. At length they swam in
towards my ambush and passed within about 50 yds.
I shot one barrel into them but had no chance to 
fire the other owing to the bushes which prevented me
from seeing them fly. I then ran out and found 
one dead and one wounded bird. The latter rose 
at once and I killed it. 
[margin]Whale Back Pond[/margin]
[margin]Bottle Brook Pond[/margin]
[margin]Black Duck[/margin]
[margin]Hooded Mergansers[/margin]
  While sitting in the bushes I heard a low musical warble
which seemed to come from the ground at my feet. 
It was repeated many times and puzzled me extremely
until at length I saw the author a tiny Shrew emerge
from a hole and scuttle over the leaves warbling as it 
ran. It certainly was a Shrew and not a mouse. 
Melvin shot at and missed a Black Duck in Bear Brook. 
[margin]A singing Shrew[/margin]
[margin]Bear Brook[/margin]