Bucephala americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1889 Maine Oct. 5 B. Umbagos. A solitary bird in Bottle Brook Pond, I watched it fully an hour. It was feeding in shallow water (about 2ft. deep) and behaved in the most peculiar manner, immersing its head and neck and sinking its body until only the tip of the back was visible it would swim about with great rapidity in circles and zig-zags kicking a foot out behind every now and then and making a loud flashing. Then up would come its dark brown head and it would float erect and still for a moment watching and listening. Sometimes it rolled over on its side like a Pochard and swam a yard or two in this attitude but its usual method of progression was with the head & neck immersed. It worked around a large grassy flat and some isolated lumps of mud. When it had to cross deep water it swam in the ordinary fashion and very rapidly the water filling up on a silvery "bow" in front of its breast. I finally shot it. The stomach contained a mass of water beetles; nothing else Food. Three other Whistlers swimming in the Megalloway. They came about 200 yds. ahead against the wind coming directly towards us but steering to the wood edge as they passed. I shot one which fell broken winged. It made short dives and showed the entire back when it came to the surface. The Whistler's sight & hearing are both far inferior to those of a Black Duck but once it has been within a boat or a man on shore it will rise at nearly as great a distance. The report of a gun does not seem to alarm it much provided it cannot see the gunner. I shot a young ♂ in Bottle Brook Pond. It was in company with a Hooded Merganser the two swimming all over the pond together. I broke the wing of the Whistler. After two dives it went ashore among the grass but stopped for less than 2 ft. from the water's edge crunching beetles & larvae of dragon flies (Food)