on the edge of the water and at the southern extremity of 
Davis’s Hill I found three of these animals, similarly employed. 
Two of them were in a tree that was entirely surrounded 
by water and so far from shore that I thought at first that 
they must have reached it hy swimming; but as I approached 
they galloped at full speed along a horizontal branch and 
leaped across a space fully six feet in width to the end of 
a long branch that stretched out from one of the trees on the 
shore, only just catching the slender, terminal twigs with 
their fore paws, but quickly raising themselves by these and 
gaining the upper side of the branch. It was a remarkably 
clever feat for such comparatively heavy animals. 
On reaching the lower end of Davis’s Hill, I saw 
several flocks of Ducks swimming near the middle of the river 
between Birch Island and Carlisle Bridge. They proved to be 
all Golden-eyes and rather more than half were old drakes. 
I counted 32 birds when they rose, which they did the moment 
my canoe came in full sight, although I was more than half- 
a-mile away, but after circling high in air they alighted 
again further off. By keeping close in shore behind points 
and islands, I got within one quarter of a mile the next time, 
when they went off down river and I saw no more of them. 
*** * * * * * * * 
On reaching the river, I at once set sail for the 
great Bedford Swamp, skimming across at great speed before the 
strong breeze. I found the big pines all standing but 
