Lake Umbagog.
Cambridge R. Marshes.
1896
Aug. 10
  Clear and hot, the forenoon calm, a light N.W. breeze in the
late afternoon.
  I spent the day at Upton superintending the work on
the house boat, sailing slowly on before the lightest
possible air in the morning; paddling out to the mouth
of the river and beating against a head wind the
remainder of the way, late in the afternoon.
  The Lake is high for this time of year but the river
banks are coming out and in places can afford dry footing
although nearly everywhere there is more or less water among
the luxuriant growth of grass. Hence the conditions 
although unfavorable for the waders are exactly right
for the Ducks and the latter appear to be unusually
numerous for this particular locality & season. I saw to-day,
between the mouth of the Cambridge & the Mill, eight 
Black Ducks and as many more Whistlers. Seven
of the Black Ducks were young birds about three fourths
grown and unable to fly. They were evidently all of
one brood but their parent did not seem to be with
them. At least they all appeared to be of the same size &
when I pursued them hard the went ashore on
the river bank & took to the grass but instead of
stopping & biding there as I expected they cross the
land and when I showed myself above the bank
began running & flapping off over the flooded meadows
on the other side.
[margin]Brood of young
Black Ducks[/margin]
  The Whistlers were scattered about everywhere & were
very tame. So far as I can learn none of the
birds on the Cambridge River meadows have been
as yet disturbed. It is delightful to see these
[margin]Whistlers[/margin]