225 
Erismatura rubida. 
1867. 
Oct. 16.$ 
Middlesex County, Mass. 
Shot a young bii^d in a small pond-hole encircled 
by button bushes in the Brickyard Swamp, Cambridge. 
He dove at the first shot and raising only the top of 
his head above wate;r watched mo while I reloaded. 
1868. 
Sept.30. Just as the day was breaking a flock of at least 
thirty of these birds came into Fresh Pond and, after 
circling around it several times, I was obliged to pull 
on to them without the slightest caution in order to got 
the first shot. After discharging both barrels at tham 
as only two or three birds flew I supposed that the re¬ 
mainder must be all wounded and pulled into the midst of 
them when I soon discovered my mistake for they began 
to scatter in all directions although many allowed me to 
get within ten feet before leaving the water. We killed 
the greater part of this flock before the survivors would 
leave the pond. I noticed only one old bird in the 
whole number. 
Oct. 1, 
13. 
14. 
19. 
23. 
26. 
28 . 
27. 
Shot several out of a largo flock that came into 
Fresh Pond. 
Two young birds hsot on Fresh Pond this morningj 
the last few nights have been cold which probably star¬ 
ted them along. 
Two shot on Fresh Pond this morning. 
30. 
Nov. 7. 
i 1 
Shot from a flock'^that came into Fresh Pond 
this morning. They were very shy but as they would not 
leave the pond most of them were killed. 
Numbers on Fresh Pond, but they were so shy that it 
v/as impossible to get within shot of them. 
Three on Fresh Pond. 
Chased a flock of five about Fresh Pond all the - 
afternoon. Tfhey were so shy that I shot only two of 
them, although they could not be forced to leave the pond. 
Shot one on Fresh Pond this morning just as it was 
getti ng light. ^ I was attracted to him by his loud-harsh 
which entirely different from the “quack* of -- 
the Black Duck or the cry of any other species with which 
I am acquainted. 
One hhot on Fresh Pond. 
Shot one this monning on Sherman’s Pond, Waltham. 
The pair to v^hich this bird belongs have lived on this 
pond nearly all the autumn. For an hour or tWo in the 
morning they fed near the shore, diving where the water 
was about six fe^t deep, but during the greater part of 
the day remained in the middle sitting close together, 
and not changing their position for hours at a time. 
I'i 
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