i74 Instinct or Reason ? [February, 
have gathered from all the corners of the earth ; for by ex- 
tensive inquiry made since that day among those most likely 
to know, no witness has been found who ever saw more 
than fifty together, in one place in this region. All day long 
they moved slowly about the upper end of the lake, and only 
occasionally did small groups fly about or splash in the 
water. A great and solemn convention was evidently being 
held. Toward evening, however, we saw more commotion 
among them, and, desiring to witness more closely this 
wonderful gathering, we went up the lake toward them. 
After quietly approaching within a half mile of the nearest, 
we saw that a general motion was being made in our direc- 
tion, whereupon we concealed ourselves close to the edge of 
the water, and from thence during the next hour witnessed 
the most amazing pageant of our lives. 
The number had clearly doubled since morning, and the 
entire troop were arranged in line and engaged in a move- 
ment the object of which we could not at first make out. 
The line was some 300 yards in extent, and at least thirty 
birds in depth-all “ dressed ” to the left (continuing the 
military figure), and at that wing resting upon the bank 
from which the line slightly diverged, at the extreme right 
being some 30 yards out ; the general movement being 
toward the shore. As the birds on the left reached the 
lan4, they immediately rose in the air and passed back of 
the line, and formed again on the extreme right. In this 
way probably five hundred birds were flying at a time, and 
by this method of deploying from the left to the right wing 
the grand army was being rapidly moved toward us. When 
quite near and before us we easily saw that the objedt of 
this advance in order of battle was not mere dress parade — 
each bird was rapidly dashing his head under water, bringing 
up fish. This long line, then, was a seine fastened to the 
bank at the left, and being gradually drawn toward the 
shore, driving the finny prey into the shallow water, where 
it was incontinently swallowed by the living meshes of this 
enormous net. Nothing could be of more thrilling interest 
than to witness the intelligence with which this enormous 
flock carried out every detail to success. Several times we 
noticed a detachment, as if detailed for special duty, swing 
around over some deeper pool, flying so as to drag their feet 
and flap the extremities of their wings upon the water, 
closing in finally at the open end of the net on the right. 
Had a skiff load of boys been sent out with poles to splash 
the water and drive in the fish, the manoeuvre could not 
have been plainer in its object than was the one before us. 
