Anas obscura. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. There is evidently a Black Duck's nest on the small is- May 21. land at the eastern end of the channel that leads into Sweat's Cove not 80 yards from our anchorage. We saw the Duck fly directly out of the woods this afternoon. Presently her mate joined her and the two fed together almost within gunshot of of the boat. Half-an-hour later the Duck flew back to the island. We shall investigate to-morrow. May 22. Just before breakfast this morning we saw the pair of Black Ducks again swimming together close in shore near the little island at the eastern entrance to Great Island channel. An hour later we landed on this island and searched it syste- matically and as we supposed thoroughly but without finding anything save an old nest of a Water Thrush. On the way back to the boat, however, and within a few yards of it I noticed an isolated patch of rather scanty yew which we had passed by on first landing. Turning aside to examine it I suddenly saw one of the branches move slightly and a long dark neck was thrust up within ten or twelve feet of where I stood. The next instant a Black Duck rose with a prodigious flutter and loud quacking and went out through the trees and off over the Cove. Without moving from my position I could see the eggs through the thin curtain or rather canopy of yew foliage. There were thirteen of them none of them in the least covered