Sphodytes cucullatus Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1889 Maine Oct. 9 S. Umbagop One in Bottle Brook Pond in company with a Golden-eye. It dives at frequent intervals in water about 2 ft. deep. As it went down it regularly throws its tail upward in a peculiar way very similar to the cormorant in which a neck not elevates its snuff just before it goes under. It dives very smoothly and silently never making the least splashing sound and agitating the surface very slightly. I shot it & found the stomach filled with the remains of the largest kind of water beetles. Food " 23 Saw eight in Bedwards Pond, four of them adult ♂♀ in d full full plumage. These were three in one flock with three plumage. brown birds and in another place a pair. The flock I watched for over an hour, they worked along the opposite side of the pond keeping close in shore & diving incessantly in shallow water. Although 200 yds. off & up wind (the Extraordinary wind was strong too) they seemed to hear the least noise plumage. that I made stretching up their necks & swimming out into the middle where they floated until I remained still for some time, then swam in shore again. Finally seeing that there was no hope of a shot I found myself a little & they were off at once. I think I have never seen any water fowl so shy & keen of hearing before. The slight rustling I made would never have attracted the attention of Black Ducks. The adult ♂♀ kept their crests closed all the time I watched them. They showed a patch of white on the back of the head & a white bar on the side of the breast but was not nearly as heavy as I expected. Evidently these Mouras are southern birds which have just arrived. The young birds that I have been shooting here has been tamer than Wood Ducks & not at all keen of hearing 123