Anas obscura Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1889 Maine Sept-Oct L. Umbag (Continued) to sleep but their naps are short and they are much more easily startled at such times than when feeding. They seem to distinguish quite easily between the rustling made by squirrels or the tread of a deer among dry twigs and similar sounds made by man. On windy days they almost invariably resort to small sheltered woodland pools and as a rule feed along the windward shores. Unlike Grown & some other birds they are less alert in windy weather than on still, fine days. If a strong N.W. wind is blowing one may often approach them with very little caution provided he does not show himself. Once a Black Drake has caught sight of the hunter the game is up" for the latter. A Wood Duck will stay fixedly and, if the hunter remains perfectly still, resume feeding concluding doubtless that the strange object is merely a peculiar thing. But a Black Drake's sight is far too keen to be thus imposed on and after a second or two of uncertainty he invariably springs into the air alarming all his companions who instantly follow. It is difficult to kill more than two or three Black Ducks on the water with one barrel. When feeding they are almost invariably scattered about & when on water, although frequently "frenched", they are nearly always out of range of the shot. When the first barrel is fired among birds on the water they often flutter away in every direction from the path of the shot before actually rising, very much as if a stone had been thrown among them. Sometimes they will pause a moment with upstretched necks after their scattering; before flying. A wounded Black Drake always goes ashore as soon 6 19