Concord, 
1397. 
Oct .28. 
Merganser serrator . 
Mass. 
With the hope of finding something unusual on the river 
(this morning) I paddled down as far as Birch Island talcing 
my gun. I saw nothing hut a solitary Grebe and was returning 
when two Duclcs passed me flying low over the water following 
up the course of the river. I saw that they had a good deal 
of white on their wings but could not mahe out the species. 
9 
Some ten minutes later, however, they returned passing this 
time within short gun range but crossing over the land and 
coming out behind me so that it was impossible to fire. I saw 
at once that they were Red-breasted Mergansers both in the 
gray plumage but one much larger than the other. Although 
perfectly certain of their identidy I had a great desire to 
secure them for I have never before found this species on Con- 
cord River. As they were passing around the bend just above 
Davis's Hill they set their wings and scaled down towards the 
water but they must have kept on for I went bach to below 
Birch Island again without seeing anything of them. Pat saw 
them pass Ball's Hill on their return. Judging by the time 
they were gone they must have flown several miles unless they 
alighted somewhere. 
