Lake Umbagog, Maine.
1895
Sept. 12
  Cloudy and sultry with light variable winds which finally
settled in the N.W. and blew hard after dark presaging
cooler weather.
[margin]Outlet Marshes & 
Leonard's
Pond.[/margin]
  At 8 A.M. I started off in the the cruising canoe sailing
first to Whale's Back Cove & thence back to the Outlet
which I had nearly reached when happening to look back
I saw a flock of birds coming swiftly up behind
me following the line of the shore. Their low, swift
glancing flight and the close order in which they moved
told me at once that they were Blue-winged Teal.
  I had barely time to get out the 20 gauge gun from
under the deck of the canoe when they were upon me
& swerved abruptly to the right. I fired only one
barrel bringing down two birds. The other six (there
were but eight altogether) circled around me and
alighted somewhere beyond the mouth of the river. I
followed them at once but could not find them
although I searched every pool and indentation in the
marsh.
[margin]A shot at
Blue wing Teal[/margin]
  While thus engaged I saw a Black Duck & a Pintail
flying together, a flock of six Golden Plover which
coursed back & forth across the wide marshes often 
setting their wings but never alighting & six Grass
Birds which kept the Plover company at times.
[margin]Pintail Duck
Golden Plover
& Grass birds[/margin]
  I then paddled to Leonard's Pond. The Black Duck
& Pintail rose from the river & dropped into the
pond. I landed & tried to find them but I 
could see nothing but a flock of twelve B[l]ack Ducks
sitting on some logs on the opposite side of the pond.
Finally a light brown spot on a mud bank on my
[margin]Pintail[/margin]