Anas ob h cura . 
Lake Umbagog, Maine. 
1397. although, there was plenty of down under and about them. The 
May 22. nest was placed near the edge of the bed of yew (which covered 
^Vu»A) about 20 feet square ) on firm dry ground five or six feet a- 
bove high-water mark, near the eastern extremity of the is¬ 
land, and about 30 feet from the water's edge in three direc¬ 
tions. 
May 23. My sole excursion during the day was to the little is¬ 
land at the entrance to the channel to photograph the Black 
Duck's nest. Three of us went in the boat and the noise we 
made in landing (although no more than we made yesterday) 
started the sitting bird who rose again directly from the nest 
and went straight up through the trees in the opposite direc¬ 
tion from that which she took yesterday. After taking a num¬ 
ber of photographs of the nest and eggs I left ray camera in 
position, first masking it with green boughs, hoping that the 
Duck would not notice it on her return. But if she returned 
to the nest at all her keen eyes marked the suspicious object 
for at intervals during the forenoon we saw her flying uneasi¬ 
ly about the island in company with her mate. At 1 P.M. I 
sent Gilbert for the camera. He reported that the bird ’was 
not on the nest. 
