Birds at 
evening 
presence under these conditions, but such was evidently the 
fact for there was no other visible cause for alarm on their 
are 
part. They were singularly alert, wary creatures at this 
season, much more so in fact than Black Ducks. 
After cooking and eating supper in the cabin, I 
started for the Buttricks* just as it was getting dark. A 
fine fresh easterly wind had risen and,hoisting the sail,I 
3 
sped swiftly over the Great Meadows. A dove shot past and 
skimmed over the crest of Ball’s Hill. Robins and Red-wings 
were singing and I heard a Swamp Sparrow chirping in a 
flooded thicket. The piping of Hylas,mingled with the snoring 
of Leopard Frogs and the rough croaking of Wood Frogs,rose 
from every side of the broad sheet of water,swelling and sinking 
alternately but never ceasing for an instant. Suddenly a 
steadily increasing, low, muffled whistling of wings came 
from behind me and the next moment five Scaup Ducks (Greater 
Scaups, I thought) followed closely by four more, passed 
overhead flying very swiftly and soon disappearing in the 
gloom. \They were apparently on their way to the Wayland 
meadows. ) 
