Concord, Mass. 
1894. 
! Oct. 11 
to 
Nov. 21. 
(No. 2). 
Aix sponsa . 
Pond. Holden very generously now agreed to leave them to me 
and Kept on down stream while I paddled bach nearly to Hunt's 
Pond and landing stole cautiously along the meadow behind the 
fringe of trees and bushes which made an excellent cover but 
which, in connection with the height of the bank, prevented 
me from getting more than occasional glimpse of the river. 
Once or twice I approached the bank and peered down through 
the branches but even then I could scarcely see the water. I 
must have passed within a feft yards of the Ducks, however, 
for when I reached the end of the belt of trees and looked 
back I at once discovered the birds swimming close under a 
cluster of birches. I did not think that they saw me out 
when I got to the birches they were gone, and a moment later 
I heard the whistling of their wings and saw them coming up 
the river flying about on a level with the tops of the trees. 
They dropped into the river directly opposite where I was 
standing making a loud splash but very foolishly I Grouched 
just as they were descending and when I rose to my feet again 
they had swum in under the bank and were as invisible as be- 
fore. Knowing that they were very near me, however, I waited 
patiently and presently light ripples (very unlike the deep 
furrows made by a swimming Muskrat) rolling out from under 
the bushes warned me that they were coming past me. It was 
