did not take to their usual haunts, although the water fell 
rapidly the first part of October. The last snipe at Wenham 
was seen on November 25. Virginia Rail were rather com¬ 
mon this year. 
The first or September flight of Black Ducks arrived Sep¬ 
tember 24 and 25 and with them many Grebes. 
All through October there was a steady but very small 
flight of ducks, and it was noticeable that the proportion 
of young birds was small. Even early in the season, when 
there should have been a great excess of young over old, 
there were more old than young. Ospreys did not pass 
here in anything like their usual numbers during late Sep¬ 
tember and early October. The November flight of Black 
Ducks was scattering and small. 
The first Lesser Scaup arrived on the afternoon of Oc¬ 
tober 11, being just about on schedule time, in spite of the 
very hot unseasonable weather. There were few of them, 
however, all through the month. The most noteworthy 
occurrence at Wenham this season, was the appearance of 
'a number of Ring-necked Ducks and the taking of twelve 
specimens, as follows: October 13, 20, 21 and 24. Red- 
Heads appeared on October 20, 21, and on the very unusu¬ 
ally late date of November 24. Seventeen were taken in all. 
Two Canvas-backs were shot on October 27, one a very fine 
old male. No Widgeon, either American or European, were 
seen or taken this year. Throughout the whole season it is 
doubtful whether 25% as many Black Ducks were seen 
flying as last year, and no large flocks were noticed. The 
same condition held on the salt marshes, where old gunners 
told me they had seldom seen such a poor autumn. 
Geese were even scarcer than ducks. A few were seen 
early in October, both here at Wenham and further east 
around Chebacco, but there has been a remarkably small 
flight; in fact, up to this time, December 1, no real flight 
anywhere in the county. Remarkably few geese have been 
seen at points south and east of Boston up to December 1, 
and one wonders what has happened to them. 
Although this appears to have been a normal, if not 
better than normal year for Woodcock, we did not get our 
i7 
