36 AT THE NORTH OF BEARCAMP WATER. 
Wings even more than feet bring wild life to 
the lonely lake. The first time that I ever saw 
the waters of the pond flashing and rippling in 
the sunlight, wings awoke the echoes of the 
basin as a flock of black ducks rose at my com¬ 
ing and vanished behind the oaks. Wood ducks 
nested for years in a hollow oak by the shore. 
One bright October morning a black tern, borne 
by storm or waywardness of wing, came to the 
lake with five black ducks. That tiny mirror 
in the deep woods seemed to please the weary 
sea-bird, for it rested there many hours, and 
even when alarmed circled for a while in the 
sky and then returned to the spot where Choco- 
rua’s horn was reflected in the mountain pool. 
The great numbers of tadpoles and frogs always 
to be found in the lake attract not only the 
great blue heron and the bitterns, but also the 
night herons, which sometimes come in flocks of 
eight or ten to fish in the lakes of this region. 
Early in August of each year a kingfisher ap¬ 
pears at the pond and passes much of his time 
by it. There are certain dry branches upon 
which he perches one after another in order, as 
he circles round the pond uttering his harsh 
rattling cry. I suspect that fishing of the same 
kind goes on after dark, for the lake is a favor¬ 
ite resort of the barred owls, whose trumpet 
tones are heard nightly at certain seasons. 
