. The "Ooot" 
h‘c,a 4 h<la£ t a (Qaj^x^- . Csa£ll 
is seldom a wary bird —• at least the few straggling indi¬ 
viduals that visit our New England waters in the early 
the 
autumn — but the tameness of/ one that we found on the 
river to-day exceeded anything that I have previously ob¬ 
served. When first seen, this bird was swimming near the 
bed of lily pads that fringes the margin of the stream. As 
we approached, it showed no signs of fear, so laying down 
the oars I took a paddle . I was resolved to try how near 
it would allow us to come. Without using any especial 
caution, we actually glided up to within six feet of it. 
Then it simply dodged our bow and continued to feed within 
reach of one of our oars. As it gradually increased this 
distance I turned the boat and ag&in overtook it, getting 
as near as before. We then stopped the boat and watched 
it for a long time. It was an unusually small specimen and 
swam very low in the water. At each stroke of the feet 
the head was oscillated in the usual manner. It was con¬ 
tinually picking up food from the lily leaves and occasion¬ 
ally it immersed its bill to sip a particle from some sub¬ 
merged water plant. Finally I again forced the boat forward 
and obliged it to fly, which it did when the prow was 
within about three feet of it. As it rose it ran for some 
distance on the surface and when after a short flight it 
again dropped, it lowered its feet and ran several yards 
along the water, before settling. 
