197
Lake Umbagog
Osgood's Point
1898.
August 28
(No 4)
Beautiful creatures they were with their soft gray
plumage and fluffy, tawny crests carried low down on 
the head and terminating in delicately drawn points
[illus] Just as they came abreast of us each
bird lowered its bill suddenly and thrust its
head beneath the surface until the water came about
half-an-inch above its eyes. In this attitude and
without for an instant checking their speed they
paddled steadily on and passed out of our
sight behind a projection of the shore. Will Sargent
tells me that he has often seen Sheldrakes partially
immerse their heads in this way and he agrees
with me in believing that it is down for the purpose
of enabling the bird to discover its fishing prey
without the trouble of diving. [illus]
[margin]Merganser
americanus[/margin] 
  After passing the point the Sheldrakes entered
our Duck Cove and encircled it finally passing
out around the next point beyond. During the
whole time that we watched them they must
have covered nearly a mile of shore line. I do
not doubt that they often traverse a dozen miles 
or more in a day keeping all the while within
a few yards (oftenest within three or four feet) of
the water's edge.