Lake Umbagog journals, 1871-1916 (inclusive)

Birds of Lake Umbagog, Maine. Clangula clangula americana - - - - - - - - I. Charitonetta albeola - - - - - - - - - - 2. Harelda hyemalis - - - - - - - - - - - - 3. Cidemia americana - - - - - - - - - - 4. deglandi - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5. perspicillata - - - - - - - - - - - - 6. Erismatura jamaicensis - - - - - - - - 7. Chen hyperborea - - - - - - - - - - - - 8. caeruleseens - - - - - - - - - - - - 9. Branta canadensis - - - - - - - - - - 10.

Clangula clangula americana.

Clangula clangula americana. L. Umbagog, Maine. Bucephala americana - Breeding sparsely . June, 1872. Bucephala americana - Aug. 16, 19 1873. Bucephala americana Oct. 11 - 13 - 16 rad δ 23 - 27 - 29 - 30 1884 Bucephala americana Oct. 12 - 27 1885. Bucephala americana - Oct, 14 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 25 1886. Bucephala am Sept. 3 - 5 - 6 - 8 - 9 - 10 Sept. 1898 Buceph. am Sept. 9 - 19 - 27 - 29 - 33 - Oct 10 Buceph. am Sept 6 - 14 (color) - 16 - 18 - 23 1889 Oct. 2 - 5 - 9 - 16 ad 3 - 21 - 22 3 and δ 11 brown birds - 24 (12) rad δ - 25 (adult) - 26 L. Umbagog, Maine. Clangula am June 17 with young - Sept 9 - 14 - 18 / Oct. 10 Bucephala am Oct. 8 - 12 - 25 rad δ 29 - 26 2 δ Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1890. Bucephala americana Saw one to-day fishing with a flock of Sheldrake. It flew with them also. I saw an adult & several days ago. These birds are not common here this autumn. Oct. 31. Shot two from a flock of four, one of those killed was in moulting transition plumage. I hardly know whether to call it an adult or young (skin preserved) It was very pretty & done well but did not kill the body entirely. Lake Umbagog, Maine Oct. 27, 1883

Bucephala americana. Maine (Lake Umbagog). 1872. June 3. A nest containing four of this species and one of the Hooded Merganser was found by Gideon Stone in a stub about fifteen feet above the water. 1873. Aug. 12. Shot a young bird on Cambridge River about two miles above the dam. " 19. Shot a young bird about half grown near the mouth of Bottle Brook on the Megalloway; it was alone, and diving for food. 1876. June 3. A female shot to-day near the Outlet would have laid her first egg in a few hours. 1879. June 6. George Hayward tells me that he took a set of fif- teen eggs on May 18 last; the nest was in a dead stub about [illegible] feet above the water, the eggs nearly fresh. The female was exceedingly shy and regularly flew from the hole before he got within gunshot of the tree. He considers this species one of the shiest of the ducks when sitting. [24 Aug. 1879]. " 15. I have long known that the nests of this species often contained parasitical eggs of other Ducks, especial- ly of the Hooded Merganser. It now appears that the whistler sometimes returns the compliment, for Alva Cool- idge tells me that while collecting for Dr. Stearn's son he took a set of thirteen Duck's eggs, and six Whistlers. A female Wood Duck was sitting on these eggs. 1880. June 1. Found a nest in a natural cavity about ten feet above the water in the east side of a small ash stub, The hole descended about twelve inches. The female flew from the hole when we were about twenty yards away; her bill was wide open, but, save for the whistling of her wings, she went off in silence. The cavity contain- ed three whole eggs, from one of which a duckling was trying to escape, and three recently hatched young. There was no nest, only a little of the birds down about the eggs and young.

Clangula clangula americana. Maine (Lake Umbagog). 1880. June 1. Set C-11. Eggs far advanced; nest in a natural cavity entering the end of a large broken branch of al- elm stub and descended about three feet; entrance twelve inches in diameter. Upon rapping at the base of the stub we immediately heard a Duck's claws rattling against the trunk inside and presently a female whist- ler appeared at the entrance and immediately took wing, croaking like the Hooded Merganser as she went off. (a white egg in this set is probably that of L. cuneatus ) ( June 1) The cavity contained eleven eggs and one Hooded Mergan- ers, all laid on the rotten wood at the bottom with a very little of the birds down; height twenty feet. " 17. A female with brood of young at least three weeks old, near the mouth of Cambridge River; the little fol- lows ran on the surface like Sheldrake, then separated and drove so adroitly that we could not catch one of them. 1881. May 20. Set F-8. Incubated three or four days. Nest in elm stub standing in the water near the Outlet; hole a natural one where a limb had rotted out; it entered on the side of the tree and descended about five feet. The eggs were laid on the rotten wood, and, as usual, were completely buried in down. The female flew from the hole when we were fifty yards away although we were mak- ing but little noise. " " Set F-7. Incubated three or four days. Nest in hole in live red maple which stood in the water within fifty yards of the nest just described. The hole was similar in character and descended about four feet. Some of the Duck's down clung to the wood about the en- trance which was worn very smooth. Eggs so completely buried in down that not one was visible when we looked in on the nest. The bird sat closer than the last but came out when we struck the tree. She started to fly very clumsily descending nearly to the water. The en- trance hole was about ten feet above the water, on the west side of the tree; so far as I have observed the Whistler is the only Duck which will come out of its nest before the climber begins to ascend the tree. 1882. Oct. 8-22. Common; towards the close of out stay they percepti- bly increased in numbers. Very shy.

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, New England. Nest /10 (2868), June 3, 1896, coll.Wm.Brewster. In- ferential & by down. No bird. Nest deserted evidently. Far adv. in inc. Outlet. Found June I, by W. visited several times, no bird seen, eggs always cold; embryos dead & soft. Nest in large, old red maple stub standing in water about 40 yds.fr.(S.W.of) en- trance (in outlet of) to Leonard's P. Nest in crevice I5 ft.above water. Two photos.of stub taken. Nest /5 (2376), June 6, 1896, coll.Wm.Brewster. Female twice started from nest. Near hatching. In maple stub over water about 100 yds s.w.from the river entrance to Leonard's Pond and within 30 yds of nest #2868 (cf. Journal for further details). Nest /19 (3018), May 15, 1897, coll.Wm.Brewster. Female started from nest and well seen. Eggs all perfectly fresh. In old but still living yellow birch standing at water's edge at mouth of Peaslee's Brook. Entrance hole a slit 2 ft.high by I ft. wide, 20 ft.above water, n.side of tree. Eggs heaped on one anoth- er & bedded in down. Only one pair of birds seen near nest. (Cf. Journal). Twelve eggs (3019), May 24, 1897, coll.Wm.Brewster. Fe- male started from nest & well seen. Eggs in every stage from fresh to 6 to 10 days inc. In maple stub at Tidwell's Point, 15 or 20 ft.from shore. Entrance hole on e.side, small, narrow with ragged edges, 20 ft.above water. Nest 2 ft.below entrance. Female sat closely not moving when we rapped on trunk. Tufts of down clung to trunk near hole. Ducks of different kinds said to have nested in this tree for 15 years or more.

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, New England. Nest /8 (3023), May 26, I897, coll.C.H.Watrous. Female started from nest and well seen. Eggs heavily inc. In maple stub near mouth of Megalloway. Entrance hole a narrow crack 4 or 5 ft. long and opening quite down to nest which was 10 ft.above water. A large bunch of down clung to top of hole outside. Female sat closely but started finally after repeated pounding by W.at base of stub. Eggs not covered but abundance of down under and around them.I did not see this nest. Nest /9 (3024), May 26, I897, coll.C.H.Watrous. Female nest started from and well seen. Eggs all about half inc. Sweat meadow in tall slender stub. Entrance hole nearly round, of good size, 25 ft.above water. Nest 8 ft.below entrance. W.hammered long and hard at base of stub but bird did not show until W.was rowing off. Down exceptionally abundant & all but four eggs were quite covered with it. I did not see this nest in situ. Nest /2+6 (3025), May 26, I897, coll.C.H.Watrous. Fe- male Whistler started from nest and well seen. I egg of Whistler on point of hatching. All the other eggs about 2/3 inc. In tall ash stub 40 ft.above water. Two entrances, one in side of main trunk, the other in end of short lateral prong, both small & round- ed. Sitting bird flew out before W.reached the tree. She kept circling about & once alighted in the water near the tree. W.is positive she was a Whistler, but six of the eggs are unquestionably those of a Hooded Merganser. I was not with W.when he found and took this set.

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, New England. Seven eggs (3030), June 2, 1897, coll.Wm.Brewster. In- ferential; no bird seen & nest deserted (?). 6 eggs fresh, I ad- dled (?). In hole of trunk of living white maple. Entrance hole large, rounded, about 9 ft. above water. Cf.journal and photograph showing nest hole, tree & surroundings. [Put with the duplicates.]

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine 1884 Oct.23. A flock of fow at the head of Great Island en interested me very much. I watched them through my glass for a long time as they were feeding along the shore just at the edge of the grass. They acted a good deal like Gulls, making short dives, often only burying the head & fore part of the body, splashing the water about by their rapid movements, cutting about in all directions & chasing one another in play. They were very low showing only a slender line of back. A little later, however, after they had caught sight of me Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1888 Sept. 4 A young Whistler which I shot at and probably missed dead and upon reappearing swam off uttering a curious low croak not unlike the spring note of the Rana sylvestris I chased it for some time. It was very cunning dodging on me when hard pressed and always making out into the rough water. It invariably showed its back never sinking this like a Grebe

Clangula clangula americana. They do not come from the that floating much higher on this white head I particularly like how so they feed as; Man they finally lose their warm which flat body. all very young older as a little higher than in rough wet places and this made appeal my back I. On those & larger down with a brown wing, which is for mostly on land, doing all a quick hunting only the head at water and along shallows so when we found it had Although in general I many times at always attempted to keep under by the feet, but not of course I should at least four inches and then again after. It looked hardly from a foot not far from the water. After the pretty, warm as strange to stop. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1888 Sept. 4 Bucephala americana Gray A young Whistler which I shot at and probably missed down and upon reappearing swam off uttering a curious low croaking not unlike the spring note of the common rattle-snake. I chased it for some time. It was very cunning dodging on me when hard pressed and always making out into the rough water. It invariably showed its back never sinking this like a Grebe.

Bucephala americana Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1889 Maine Sept 6 L. Umbago - Two flocks one of seven, one of two birds, in shallow ponds near the mouth of Cambridge River. They were rather shy rising at about 200 yds as the large flock passed me at about this distance I distinctly heard the humming-top noise of their wings although this was not as loud as it is in winter in Mass. The air was perfectly still at the time, the lake as smooth as glass. I do not remember ever hearing this duck whistle here before. I saw all nine birds distinctly enough to make sure that none were in the full plumage of the adult ♂.

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)

Bucephala americana Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1889 Maine Oct. 16 S. Umbagog - An adult ♂ in full plumage in Sweet Meadow. I watched the adult him for some time through the glass. He was diving for plumage. food staying under about ½ minute at a time. He finally saw us and flew at fully 300 yds. going over the pond several times rising higher and higher & finally coming out directly over us at a height of about 250 ft. His wings produced the humming top whistle as distinctly as I have ever heard it on the sea coast.

.Umbagog. Clangula americana. 1890. Oct.25. Two adults ♂♂ and two ♀♀ in Erroll Hill pond, one of the drakes apparently in perfect plumage, the other with head brownish. The ♀♀ came close in shore & made short dives. One called krück Scaup Duck. very like a Snipe. They dove rather splashily like a musk rat. The drakes kept out of shot, off shore. One dove most of the time for an hour, the other buried head amongst scapulars and slept for 15 to 20 minutes at a time floating in one place turning around in one place at rate of about one turn per minute. I think the light air acted on his tail which was slightly raised. Twice one of the drakes rose on end & flapped his wings a few times each stroke producing the humming top sound as loudly & distinctly as if the bird were flying. One of the ♀♀ also flapped her wings in a similar manner but made only a slight rustling noise. Is not the humming top sound made only by the adult males? I can think believing of several reasons for thinking it to be so. It would explain why we hear it here so seldom & on the seacoast in winter so often.

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Me. Sept. & Oct. 1893. Clangula americana Cert. 3 Ⓒ Small Hill P. 4 hours 10' 11' ② „ 12 Ⓒ 14 ② Lake Umbagog, Maine. Glacium americana 1894 September 1Ⓒ 4 ③ 10 ① 11 ③ 13 ① (Bottle Hill P.) „ 20 ③ 1895. September 1 ② (Bakside) 5-1 8 1shot 9- (Butter) „ 10 ³ 12 ② 13 ③ 14 ② 15 ② 17 ⑤ „ 19 Ⓒ Small Hill P. 21 ① Lake Umbagog. 1896. Glaciassette Americana May 14 2 (mor) 15-6 ③ Con N. of 16 ④ Bottle House) 2 B. Point. „ 19 8 am. 22 8 out (Bargaint Corn) West 2d. 28 2 Flying Corn) „ 30 Ⓒ Brown's Pond. June 1 8.2 nest Brown's 2 ③ Brown's 3 ⑤ 4 ④ ② 10.45 Pond. „ 5- ① Small Hill Pond 4-9g near Mrs Casey all ducking probably 12 Forest Meadow „ 12 & Bottle House 13 ① June 1- nest 10 eggs { young embryos of varying ages 5- „ „ " forms similar, others " " " " feathered " " " 1 added off shells & recently hatched egg " " in tall rotten stick, surrounded of flies out " 9 2 white Brood of young seen near Mudlue Brook By Jim Barrie. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1896 Glacium americana May 15. A pair in con north of A. Point. 8 in full plumage. He sailed around calling Krrr-2-2-2-2- afterwards when the pair flew he gave this call as he went off in much bushe full tones Krer - Krer - Krer - Krer - Krer Krer (6 or 8 notes) distinctly audible at 400 yds. May 30- Two flying about one second's Pond on a both making a sound was to me very like the quacking of a Black Duck but the quacks shorter, more run together, fuller flatte- qua-qua-qua-qua.. The birds were certainly Golden-eyes. I could not make out these respective notes. June 1 Nuthogs jieds nest 10 or more yrs „ 2 - 7.40 P.M. Bird flying around over wet, weena, calling Krrr-Krr, Ca-Ca, Ca-Ca-Ca, Ca-Ca- 13

Clangula americana 1897. Lake Umbagog. May 12 ♀♀ nest (Peebles Cove) 15 ♂ nest 17 eggs 17 L 18^1 near Ballade " 2 2 3 4 4 4 1/2 2 Birds seen 27 q diving " Great Island " 9 nest 4 egg (Watrous) 12 eggs. 26 one corn. 30 ♂ 31 q beside " Outlet " 2 26 ♀♀ " 2 " + 6 H. Megacordes - 30 ♂ 31 q nest 11 eggs. June 1 2 (baymouth) 8 x 4 2 2 nest 7 egg each (North Point Pond), 4 4 2 North Point 5-2 with about 8 young baymouth as big as Robins Pond. " 6 " eggs cracked but none hatched at 3 P.M. All gone by 7 P.M. Young in holes. 8 Nearly three morning " 12 2 died to water hole in elm on Staples place. 1903. June 13-7 fly! same words from Cambridge River 14 (2 ♀♀) in water near Upton tin balls. Carrot Spring " 15-2 with 4 young 1/4 grown near mouth Megaltonny R. Androscoggin River 14

Glauacium americanam m.R. = Myallaway Run 1896 Lake Umbagog. August 9 57 2 / 10 (5) 2 - 11 4 12 2-13 4/14 57 15 3 16 3 17 3 18 3 19 3 20 3 22 3 24 1-31 2 27 1 28 2 29 1 12 12 13 13 cf. joined for account of notes & habits of young, September 1 pair 3 pairs 5 100 7 1 15 1 October 2 1 3 1 1897 September 5 1 6 3 Koite Marsh 15 (2) Pond. 1898. August 26 1 28 1 29 1 m.R. m.R. m.P. September 3 (2) 22 (3) 24 (2) (3) 1900. September 5 1 6 (4) (1) 16 (2) 20 1 1907. August 7 (2) (1) 9 2 12 (2) Mar month of Cambridge Run 15

Clangula clangula americana. 1888, Lake Umbagog. September 4. Saw . . . in Sargent's Cove a young Whistler with un- fledged wings. . . . was very tame at first allowing me to sail within 30 yds. I shot at and probably missed him for he dove and doubled on me. After reappearing he uttered a curious (as he swam away from me. I chased him) feeble, strident call for some time but he had learned wisdom and eluded me by the most adroit diving. 1888, Lakeside, Lake Umbagog. September 9. Out sailing on the lake in the late P.M., very calm. . . . . A Whistler calling cr-r-ruck very like a wood frog. 1889, Lake Umbagog. October 9. Megalloway River. A Whistler and Hooded Merganser were the only two birds in the pond (Bottle Brook Pond). They swam all over it keeping close together, the Merganser diving, the Whistler feeding with head and neck under water like the one shot on the 5th. I followed them about for fully two hours and finally stalked them, killing the Merganser on the water and bringing the Whistler down wing broken as it rose by a very long shot. It dove twice and went ashore on the other side of the pond. We took in the boat and I shot it over as it crouched among the grass facing the water. 16

Clangula clangula americana. 1889, Lake Umbagog. October 16. Adult male in full plumage. An adult male Golden-eye in full plumage in Sweat'e Mead- ow pond, diving. He saw us, rose, and came back over us at about I50 ft.height. 1895, Lake Umbagog September 8. Androscoggin River. We were rowing down the river when a Whistler rose about 200 yds. ahead, crossed the marsh, circled out over the lake and returning passed within thirty yards of us when I shot it. It is singular that this Duck and the Sheldrake, although exceedingly shy birds when one attempts to approach them on the water, will often fly past an unconcealed boat within gun range. September 14. Lake Umbagog. Soon after dinner I started out with Jim in the large boat. Just inside Moose Point we spied two Whistlers swimming near shore. I landed and tried to stalk them, but they worked gradually away from shore and out of gun-shot. Jim seeing this paddled gently towards them. They had now gone to sleep and turned slowly around and around with their heads under their scapular feathers, drifting with the wind. They paid little attention to the boat until it was within 60 yards or less, when they began swimming away from it. They passed me out of range but Jim cir- cled around them and drove them back when they came within 30 yds. and I shot one on the water and the other as it rose. They were evidently fresh arrivals from the north for none of our local Whistlers would have acted in this manner. 17

Clangula clangula americana. 1895, Lake Umbagog. September 19. Errol Hill Pond. All the Ducks flew when we showed ourselves (we were starting back at sunset) the Black Duck going straight off, the Whistlers rising in a great circle before they could get above the trees and ridges. 1896, Lake Umbagog. June 2. Leonard's Pond. Nest. Watrous climbed to the nest and counted ten eggs all of which were standing on end, doubtless to save space for they were crowded together so tightly that it was difficult to remove the first one. They were all cold and we saw no bird. August 9. Lake Umbagog. Lakeside. Two (Ducks) which were certainly of that species (Whis- tlers) were diving for food in the river near Peaslee's bend. They were remarkably tame, allowing me to sail the canoe to within less than 20 yards. One looked like an old bird, but the other did not seem to be more than two-thirds grown, although it could fly well. August 10. Lake Umbagog. Cambridge River marshes. The Whistlers were scattered about everywhere and were very tame. So far as I can learn none of the birds on the Cam- bridge River meadows have been as yet disturbed. It is delightful to see these attractive water-fowl back in such numbers in their old 18

Clangula clangula americana. 1896, Lake Umbagog. August 10. Cambridge River marshes. (2) haunts. Would that they might be permitted to stay unmolested through the autumn as well as the summer! But alas! in a few short weeks the slaughter will begin. August 12. Lake Umbagog. Cambridge River marshes. Peculiar behavior. A Whistler was playing about on the calm water within 100 yards or less, swimming very rapidly to and fro in zig-zag lines with outstretched head and neck, apparently gathering food from the surface and acting very like a Phalarope. (He did not once dive). September 5. Lake Umbagog. Near the Outlet. A little after this I shot a young Whistler that was swimming out in the lake. It dove as I approached, but I traced its course under water by the leaping of the young pickerel and killed it when it came to the surface. It was fully grown, but the wing quills were not of full length.

Clangula c.americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. Nest and eggs. 1896. On May 30th we saw a pair of Golden-eyes flying over June 1. Leonard's Pond, one (the drake, I think) making a very duck- like sound - shorter and flatter than the quack of a Black Duck but still not unlike it a qua-qua-qua-qua or ca-ca-ca-ca- ea uttered very rapidly. This morning Watrous found what is doubtless their nest about 15 feet above the ground or rather water (2 ft. deep beneath the nest) near the top of a large red maple stub to which the bark is still clinging and beside which a young, living maple apparently a sprout from the roots of the old tree, makes a convenient ladder to the nest. The larger stub is split off at the top and there is a ragged cleft or crevice 4 to 6 inches wide in its face. In this crevice on a level with its base is the nest containing 10 eggs which are crowded in so tightly that it proved difficult to extract one and all according to Watrous stood directly on end. They were completely surrounded and covered with down a quantity of which shows at the opening. Watrous saw the fe- male Golden-eye flying away from the stub as he approached it but he is not sure she came out of the hole. The drake af- terwards circled over the stub. 20

Clangula c.americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. Alertness. 1896. June 5. As we neared the Lake I saw a Golden-eye fly from a hole near the top of a very tall ash stub. Almost immediately af- terwards two more Ducks of the same kind flew from stubs near the one just mentioned but we did not accurately mark the start- ing point of either. The hole in the tall stub was almost perfectly round and so small that it seemed impossible for a Duck to pass through it. It was fully 60 ft. above the water and the tree was very rotten. All these Golden-eyes left their nests when we were 100 yards or more away and making but little noise. The first bird warned the others with her croaking but how did she hear our approach? And how can a Duck bring her young down from such a height and through such a hole unless in her bill? A native of Upton who once lived near the Narrows tells me that he saw a Goosander take her young from a nest in a stub near his house to the water and that she carried them one by one on her back! He further says that the young repeatedly slipped off and that she recovered them by turning over on her side and darting beneath them. In one instance he saw this was done three times during the con- veyance of one of the young.

Clangula c.americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. Small set of eggs. 1896. When we reached the grove of stubs near Leonard's Pond June 5. we turned into them and went to the Golden-eye's nest which I found this morning. Watrous climbed to the top of the stub (which is only about 12 ft. high) and looking in saw eggs a- bout 5 ft. down. He then cut a hole just above them which I which could easily reach and through, I examined the nest carefully. they There were only five eggs and although did not more than half fill the available space they were, like those of the set of ten crowded together tightly each egg standing on end and firmly fixed in the rotten wood at the bottom of the cavity. There was but little down but this was carefully disposed a- bout the eggs so that it covered most of them. Supposing the set to be incomplete we took only one egg (substituting for it the rotten egg found in Sweat's Meadow) but on blowing it we found it far advanced in incubation - as the other four eggs proved to be when taken next day. I had no idea that the Golden-eye ever contented itself with so small set of eggs. 22

Clangula c.americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1896. While we were searching the islands near Sweat's meadow June 5. a female Golden-eye came flying about over the meadow utter- ing her krur-krur-ca-ca-ca-ca-ca-ca incessantly. Half an hour later we found her nest in a tall larch stub 40 ft. above the water. There was a good deal of down adhering to the entrance hole (which was nearly round and scarce larger than a Flick- er's) as well as to the upper branches of the tree so our expectations were raised high but when Watrous cut into the trunk he found only an addled egg and a number of egg shells from which the young had evidently only recently escaped. No doubt the brood were swimming or hiding somewhere near but we saw nothing of them.

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1896. On my way across the Lake I saw four Whistlers, two old birds, the other two young not more than half grown. Unlike Aug.13. the Black and Wood Ducks which keep together in broods until they leave for the south the young Whistlers apparently separate long before they are large enough to fly and probably as soon as they are able to get their own living. They utter a low queer, queer almost exactly like that of the Black Duck (I have always supposed that this note is peculiar to the young drake of the latter species but I hear it as late as October after the Black Ducks are fully grown) and having the same peculiar shrill yet husky treble tone. The little fellows which I saw to-day were expert divers and had already learned the art of doubling back when hard pressed but they were so tame that I could have shot them easily enough. They feed both by,diving and by skimming the surface of the water with half opened bills. During the day they work well in shore into the grassy coves and up the river but before sunset they paddle out into the Lake a little way and spend the night 200 or 300 yards off the mouth of the river. I have seen no old birds in this neighborhood after sunset and suspect that, in accordance with their old-time custom, they pass the night at the head of the Lake but if so I have not as yet seen them going or returning.

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. On the way over to the Lake House this morning we landed May 12. at Paeslee's spring. Just as our boat reached the shore a female Whistler flew from a large hole in a big yellow birch which stands near the mouth of the brook and on the very edge of the water at this season. I had heard that there was a nest in this tree last season and I was looking directly at the hole when the bird came out but, nevertheless, I did not actually get my eye on her until she was in the air. She started when we were about 20 ft. from the base of the tree and flying heavily past us, her wings whistling audibly but not very loudly, alighted some fifty rods off on the flooded meadow. Half-an-hour later and again in the afternoon I saw her in company with her mate fly into the cove where the nest is situated. The hole is a natural cavity nearly two feet in height by a foot in width with its edges everywhere rounded in by bark. The tree apparently alive and, save for this cavity, sound. The hole is about 20 ft. above the ground. May 15. Watrous visited and examined the Whistler's nest at the mouth of Peaslee's Brook this morning. It contained nineteen eggs, all of the same type as regards both shape and coloring. The female was not sitting either yesterdgy (when I rapped on the tree) or to-day. The nest was a little more than arm's a length below the entrance. The eggs, Watrous says, were 25.

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. literally piled one on another. They were uncovered but there May 15. was an abundance of down about them. I saw the pair (or another pair) of Whistlers flying a- long near shore this afternoon and on this, as well as every other occasion that I can remember, the duck was leading and the drake following closely in her wake. May 26. Watrous and Gilbert went up the Lake this morning. They spent the day among the stubs near the Outlet and also rowed down the river and into Sweat's Meadow. They found three Whistlers'nests, one with 8 eggs just west of Leanord's Pond, (but not in either of the stubs where we found nests last year), the other two in Sweat's Meadow. One of the latter was in the hole in the tall stub where we found an addled egg and some egg shells last year. A Whistler flew from it to-day when W. rapped on the stub. On climbing to the nest he found that it contained two eggs of the Whistler and six of the Hooded Merganser! The third nest was only about seventy-five yards from the one which contained the Merganser's eggs.

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897 Watrous spent the forenoon along the eastern shores of May 24. the channel between Great Island and the Tidswell place and among the islands S.E. of the Narrows. He found a Whistler's and a Black Duck's nest and took me to them in the afternoon. The Whistler's nest was in an old maple stub near the landing to the Tidswell place. Charlie Tidswell, my cook, tells me that a Duck of some species nested in this stub every year when he lived on this farm 12 or 15 years ago. The entrance to the Whistler's nest was a vertical slit apparently formed by the elongation (and to some extent widen- ing) through decay of a Flicker's hole. It did not look as if a Duck of any kind could possibly squeeze into it (the edges were jagged in places) but two large tufts of down clinging to the trunk a few inches from the hole assured Watrous that there was an occupied nest although he could start nothing by rapping on the trunk this morning; nor did a most vigorous hammering with oar and paddle hilts when we reached the tree this afternoon produce any signs of life a- bove. But when Watrous began to climb the stub-indeed imme- diately after the first stab of his climbing irons-a female Whistler emerged from the hole and flying rather feebly and clumsily at first with legs and feet hanging down, made off over the Lake calling kur-ruck, kur-ruck, kur-ruck in deep,

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. guttural tones. She alighted about 200 yards off and after May 24. swimming about for awhile flew still further away. Watrous this morning saw five Whistlers together in the water not far from this nest. Four seemed to be females, the fifth being a fine old drake. I should add that when the female flew from the hole this afternoon her wings whistled audibly but with a hollow tone like that of a humming top. According to my ex- perience it is unusual for a Whistler to sit as closely as did this bird. Ordinarily they leave the nest before you can have run the boat alongside the stub and I never before known one to fail to start at the first thump on the foot of the stub. This nest had 12 eggs; three were fresh, the others rep- resenting every stage of incubation up to about 7 or 8 days.

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. But the most interesting experience of the evening re- May 30. mains to be mentioned. Soon after we had cast anchor (at 4 P.M. in Leonard's Pond) four Whistlers, all, as far as I could make out with my glass, females, began flying about over the stubs in a peculiar manner now rising high above them, next & descending and dashing between the trunks and branches, moving their wings incessantly as in ordinary flight but describing a succession of circles, in the centre of which stood a re- markably tall stub with a shattered, jagged top. Around^this they would pass a dozen times or more gradually narrowing their circles and drawing nearer to the stub until at length one bird leaving the rest would pitch first downward, then sharp- ly upward still moving its wings but using them at the last to check rather than to increase its headway. On reaching the stub it would try to alight on the ragged top. Usually the attempt failed when the bird, continuing its flight, would disappear through the trees, presently reappearing above them to begin circling again; but twice it gained a foothold and actually remained perched on the top of the stub for several seconds although it was obliged to keep its wings almost con- stantly in motion to maintain its balance. On several occasions it seemed to direct its upward sweep towards a point a foot or two below the top of the stub and once, when no Ducks were in sight circling, I distinctly

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. saw two fly in quick succession from this part of the trunk. May 30. On examining the tree from the opposite side next morning I found that it had at just this place a round, neat-looking hole quite large enough for a Whistler to enter and without doubt containing a nest and eggs. It is remarkable, however, that four birds should have circled together so many times about this tree, but at times two of them would go off leaving the other two to continue their gyrations. They were all silent most of the time but once or twice I heard the loud continuous call noted here last year. May 31. Watrous found a Whistler's nest this morning in a short maple stub where we broke open a nest containing eggs last year (I have photographs of the stub taken last spring). It had eleven eggs none of which were covered. This nest is within 30 yards of the one in the tall stub about which the four Whistlers were circling yesterday. I thought then that one bird which separated from the rest and swept low down through the stubs might have gone to this nest.

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. The water in Bottle Brook Pond (where we went this morn- June 2. ing) is now about six feet above its usual autumn level and the shores in many places are submerged. We paddled about at will among the fine old maples at the western end of the pond next the bank of the river. It would be difficult to find a more favorable place for arboreal nesting Ducks than this an- cient forest for many of the trees are dead or dying and they furnish holes and crevices of all sorts of shapes and sizes. Some of the largest trees are three or four feet in diameter at the base and eighty or ninety feet tall. Watrous soon found two Whistlers' nests, both in natural cavities in maples about eight feet above the water. One was evidently a last year's nest the down being matted and disar- ranged. There were no eggs or egg shells. The other nest contained seven eggs. They were badly stained and coated over with small fragments of rotten wood which had dried firm- ly on the shells. There was no down under or around them and the spiders had spun a close netting of web just above them. No bird was seen near the tree. These facts satisfied us that the nest was deserted and although I did not care for so poor and disfigured a set we thought it a pity to leave them. We were greatly surprised, on blowing them next day, to find that six of them were perfectly fresh. The seventh was slight-

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. ly cracked and half-empty with such of the contents as remained moist but June 2. of the consistency of damp meal. This egg is unlike the others in shape. Can it have been in the nest over the winter? If laid this spring why was it deposited so long before the other six? Two or three hours later we found a third Whistler's nest by watching the bird while we were eating lunch. She first alighted on the water near the tree and for fifteen or twenty minutes swam or drifted aimlessly about preening her feathers. Then she flew out over the pond describing a great circle or rather loop rising gradually until she had attained a height of about twenty feet when she made directly for the nest, which was about thirty feet above the water. On nearing the tree she pitched up sharply the remaining ten feet keeping her wings in rapid motion up to the last moment but checking her speed very considerably just before she reached the hole. Some intervening branches prevented me from seeing just how she entered it. Half-an-hour after this we paddled quietly across to the tree. As soon as I had taken a position which commanded a good view of the hole Watrous struck the base of the stump a single slight blow with his paddle. This was immediately followed by a scratching sound in the hollow above and then the

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. Whistler's head and neck appeared at the opening. The next June 2. instant she was in the air and darting off over our heads. It was all done so quickly that although I was watching the hole with the closest attention I actually did not see the bird leave it. Indeed she appeared to burst forth at nearly full speed and I was half inclined to believe that she began her flight within the trunk. I certainly did not see her open her wings. It seemed incredible that so heavy and clumsy a bird could emerge from such a place so adroitly and get under full headway so quickly. Not that this particular hole was exceptionally small. On the contrary it was of rather generous size. Its shape and position are well shown by two photographs which I took of it. I also photographed the other nest with the fresh eggs. Upon first entering the pond this morning we started four female Whistlers from somewhere near the further end. These birds kept coming back at intervals through the day circling high over the pond always keeping together and calling kur-uck kur-uck. Twice they were accompanied by a drake, a fine fellow in full plumage. June 5. A Whistler followed by 7 or 8 young about as large as Robins came through Leonard's Pond this forenoon swimming close along the shore.

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. Yesterday at 3 P.M. Watrous visited the Whistler's nest June 7. with 11 eggs near the entrance to Leonard's Pond (he had found the nest May 31). Several of the eggs were cracked. I sent him there again this evening just after sunset. He found all but two of the eggs hatched and the nest full of the pretty ducklings. The old bird did not leave it until he was at the foot of the tree and she returned and entered the hole before he had rowed 100 yards away. He did not count the young. June 8. This is the fourth day of south-east winds but the sun has shone faintly most of the time through a thinly veiled sky Gilbert and I were up before sunrise this morning and at 4.30 we were at the Whistler's nest which Watrous visited last evening. We approached it with great caution, paddling slow- ly and silently the whole distance. The Whistler was absent and at first I feared that she had removed her young during the night but on looking into the hole I was delighted to find them still there huddled closely together in a circle shiver- ing a little for the air was sharp and keen. There were how- ever only six of them with the two eggs still unhatched. What had become of the remaining three four eggs? Watrous tells me that he did not count the eggs on the 6th nor did he count the young last evening but he is very sure that none of the eggs were missing on the former occasion as the nest seemed to be

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. packed closely with them and the absence of as many as four then June 8. would as certainly have left a gap that he could scarcely have failed to notice. He is by no means certain that there were more than six young and two eggs last night. Partially concealing one of the boats (we had taken two) among the stubs about 30 yards from the nest and stretching myself at full length on the bottom with my head raised just enough to enable me to look over the gunwale I lay there per- fectly motionless for over an hour. No Duck of any kind ap- peared until 5.10 when a female Whistler came from the direc- tion of the Megalloway and without any preliminary circling alighted on the water a few yards from the nest. After float- ing motionless on the calm surface for at least two minutes with head and neck erect and evidently watching and listening intently she flew directly to the lower hole (Watrous says she entered at the top of the hollow last night) and alight- ing on its lower edge stood there for an instant flapping her wings a little to maintain her balance. Then she popped in throwing up her spread tail just as her body disappeared much as a Duck often does when diving. I saw nothing more of her although I watched the hole closely for another hour at the end of which time (6.15) Gilbert who had been to the boat for his breakfast came to relieve me and to keep guard while I had

3 Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. mine. It was arranged between us that if the Whistler began June 8. taking out her young while I was absent he would shout a few times to let me know of the fact. I had just finished breakfast when I heard this signal and jumping into the St.Lawrence skiff rowed rowed as hard as I could pull for the nest but as soon as I came in sight of it I knew I was too late, for Gilbert was standing up in his boat and paddling slowly towards the tree. Here is his account of what happened during my absence:- At 6.45 the old Duck appeared at the entrance (the lower hole) to the nest where she sat for five minutes moving her head continually and looking about in every direction included within her field of vision; then she sank back out of sight reappearing at the end of a minute and looking about as before for another five minutes. At the end of this second period of observation she flew down to the water and swam around the stub three times clucking and calling. On completing the third round she stopped directly under the hole and gave a single loud call or cluck when the ducklings at once began scrambling up to the entrance from the nest and dropping down to the water falling on top of one another. In other words the brood literally poured out of the nest much as shot would fall from one's hand. One or two hesitated or paused for an 36

4 Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. instant on reaching the mouth of the hole but the greater num- June 8. ber toppled out over the edge as soon as they appeared. All used their tiny wings freely beating them continuously as they descended. They did not seem to strike the water with much force. While this was going on the old Duck sat motionless on the water looking up at the nest. When the last duckling dropped at her side she at once swam off at the head of the brood quickly disappearing in a flooded thicket a few rods a- way. In connection with my own observations I should have no- ted that after the old bird entered the hole two other female Whistlers flew several times over and around me and one of them at length alighted on the water swimming up close to the stub and looking at it intently as if she too had some inter- est in it. On several former occasions, moreover, we have found from two to four female Whistlers hanging about this nest and the same thing occurred at the nest on Tidswell's point as well as near that at Bottle Brook Pond. These facts lead me to believe that two or three birds not infrequently lay their eggs in the same nest. We know that Whistlers and Mergansers sometimes do this and I see no reason for doubting that the Whistlers take the same liberty with one another. Probably all sets of over ten or twelve eggs are thus 37

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. compounded and perhaps the usual number laid by one bird does June 8. not exceed eight or nine. It would be interesting to learn whether or no the labor of incubation is fairly divided and also if all the young are cared for by one parent. The mys- terious disappearance of four of the eggs from the nest watched this morning suggests that they may have been hatched and the young have been taken away by another bird. Of another thing I am pretty well satisfied, viz. that the Whistler is often polygamous. I have seen here this season only four drakes (one near the nest at Peaslee's brook with a single female (we saw only one), one at Tidswell's Point with four females, one at the Cutlet with at least five females) to at least twenty and probably thirty females. Watrous thinks that the number of eggs in a nest corres- ponds pretty closely with its capacity and I believe that he is right. When the cavity is small at the bottom the bird that takes possession of it fills it with her own set. When it is large other Whistlers and occasionally a Merganser, also lay in it until it can hold no more eggs. John Brown of Up- ton tells me that he once took 21 eggs from a Goosander's nest. On first visiting the Whistler's nest this morning I took one of the young and sent it to the boat by Gilbert intending to return it to the next after breakfast, but the sudden

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. departure of the mother with the rest of the brood defeated June 8. this plan and we have the pretty little creature still. I have taken advantage of the opportunity to try a number of experiments. First I put the bird on the deck where it ran about freely standing and moving always in a nearly erect po- sition, lying prone with half extended wings when tired. It called every few minutes in shrill piping tones very like a young Turkey:-peep-peep-peep-peep-peep. It did not appear either shy or apprehensive but, like many young birds, it was exceedingly stubborn and persistent, giving me the greatest trouble to pose it for photographing, absolutely refusing to remain where I wished it to although it would settle down qui- etly almost anywhere else. Next I put a shallow pan filled with water near it. It ran back and forth through this many times without apparently taking the least notice of the water. Next it was placed suddenly but gently in the middle of a tub filled to the brim with water. For at least a minute it remained floating in one spot looking about with evident bewilderment but without signs of fear. Its feet and legs hung loosely down beneath it. Occasionally it would twitch them slightly. Presently it began using them, as paddles, slowly and hesitatingly at first. Indeed it was more than an

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. hour before it swam at all fast or vigorously. One of the June 8. first things it did was to begin picking at various small ob- jects - bits of bark and weed - floating on the water. It ap- parently swallowed several of these fragments. After a lit- tle while it tried climbing over the sides of the tub. When it had accomplished this feat several times we removed about half the water but it went up the sides almost as easily as before clinging with its claws to the wet wood. By noon it had learned to spring, either from the water or from the bot- tom of a box, ten or twelve inches straight upward. The mus- cular power and vigor of its thick legs was indeed remarkable and it seemed to get as firm resistance for the upward spring from the water as from the smooth boards. Thus far we have been unable to find any food which the poor little thing seems to relish. It has picked at and swal- lowed a little egg yolk, and some wriggling fragments of earth- worms excited it greatly at first but after getting several of them well down its throat it ejected them with evident dis- gust. Indeed I fear that it will die of starvation although it is quite willing to try everything that we offer it. Late in the afternoon while testing an earthworm it dropped the fragment which began sinking in the water. It at once thrust its head beneath the surface and tried to catch

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. the piece as it descended. This is the nearest approach to June 8. diving which it has thus far made. It drinks often and copi- ously. After a bath it preens and dries its downy plumage, with great patience and care using its bill like an old bird. June 9. Our little Whistler was alive this morning but he seemed feeble and depressed and as he would eat practically nothing it was evident that we could not hope to rear him. According- ly we took him into the flooded forest and putting on a piece of floating drift wood near the foot of the tree in which he had been hatched backed the boat off a few yards and left him at freedom. He stood erect and motionless for a minute or two looking about him; then entering the water he began swim- mimg, at first slowly and in evident bewilderment. But very soon he gained confidence and struck out more boldly until at the end of a few minutes he was darting hither and thither skimming the surface as lightly as a fluff of thistle down and in courses as erratic as those of the lucky bugs whose gam- bols he disturbed. Now he sipped the water eagerly, next he picked at a floating leaf or darted after some small aquatic insect. Every now and then he would raise the forward part of his body and flap his tiny wings exactly in the manner of an old Duck. The floating sticks and rafts of drift that covered a large part of the surface did not embarass his

Clangula clangula americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1897. progress in the least for it he crossed them either by running or June 6. 9./ by a succession of short, quick leaps as nimble as those of a small Frog. Poor little waif! It was most pathetic to see it him start off thus alone and unprotected on it his perilous jour-ney of life rejoicing, evidently, in his freedom and the novel-ty of its his surroundings but quite unconscious of the dangers which lay before it him. I could only hope that one or the other of the two female Whistlers which we started from the water near the nest tree would adopt and care for it him and I was glad to see one of them fly back into the forest after we left. had departed.

Clangula clangula americana. Vol. XVII] 1900 ] BREWSTER, Breeding Habits of Golden-eye Duck. 207 NOTES ON THE BREEDING HABITS OF THE AMERI- CANGOLDEN-EYED DUCK OR WHISTLER (CLANGULA CLANGULA AMERICANA). BY WILLIAM BREWSTER. Plates VI and VII. In 1897 I spent the last two weeks of May and nearly the whole of June at Lake Umbagog, living in a house-boat and devoting my time to studying and photographing birds and nests. Besides a cook and a man to manage the boat, I had with me two assistants, Mr. R. A. Gilbert, who helped me in various ways, and Mr. Clarence H. Watrous, a keen and persistent nest-hunter, to whose tireless efforts I was indebted for the subjects of some of my best notes and pictures. Our floating house proved admirably adapted to the purposes of such a trip, having, in addition to comfortable living and sleeping accommodations, a small but well arranged dark room in which the negatives were developed. By sculling when the weather was calm, with the aid of a sail when there was a favoring breeze, we were able to change our ground whenever we wished to do so, although we often found it profitable to spend several days, and occasionally as much as a week, in one place, moored to the shore at the head of some sheltered cove, where the songs of shy forest birds rose on every side, and the delicious scent of the balsams stole in through the open cabin windows, or riding at anchor sufficiently far out in the lake to escape the black flies and mosquitoes. Our daily excursions were made chiefly by water in canoes, and extended not only to every part of the lake, but for considerable distances up the rivers which flow into it. Altogether it was a delightful experience, full of interest, and not wanting in novelty, despite the fact that the region was one with which I had long been familiar. During this season I learned much that was new to me concerning the breeding habits of the Golden-eyed Duck or Whistler. This species still nests abundantly at Umbagog, especially about the outlet and throughout the bottom lands of the Lower Megalloway River, where the forests were killed half a century ago by

Charitonetta albeola.

Charitonetta albeola. Maine (Lake Umbagog) Bucephala albeola 1875 ✓ Oct. 13 One brought in by some sportsman who killed it from a flock of them in the Megalloway coming up to them without much difficulty. ✓ Oct. 26 Five at Moose Point diving close in shore. Tried to paddle on them but failed although my boat was carefully grasped. They would fly when I went at least fifty yards off, and after going only three or four hundred yards sight and begin diving against their drive were short but they disappeared like a flash. Flying, their wings showed a peculiar rapid und motion unlike other ducks and reminding one of a Woodcock. Daniel Hayward tells me that late last autumn after most of the Lake had skimmed over he found about forty of these Ducks Bucephala albeola. 1880. Maine (Lake Umbagog). May -- ✓ Mrs. Bartlett has an adult female shot on Lake Umba- gog this month. June 1. ✓ Saw a fine adult male near Poslee's Brook this morn- ing, and a female in the same place late in the after- noon. The latter was feeding in the grass at the wa- ter's edge and was very tame, allowing us to get within close gun range. Captain Poslee tells me that he has seen the pair several times lately. I also saw another adult male on the Megalloway this morning.

Charitonetta albeola. Bucephala albeola Lake Umbagog in the lake near Grand Island. Two in company with eight Greater Trump Ducks. The latter permitted a near approach but the Buffle heads flew and left the flock before we were within a hundred yards. Oct. 27. Saw two together one of which was a drake in perfect plumage. It looked snow-white at a distance. They were very shy & we could not approach them even with a brushed boat. Oct. 31. Saw one. L. Umbagog, Maine. Bucephala albeola June 12th 1840 Bucephala albeola Oct. 15 2♂ 2♀ 3♂ & ♀ 26 a Cordage √ 1884 Bucephala albeola Oct. 13 3 (white) megallany River _ 26 ½" 1885- B. albeola Oct 4 _ 9 2( white) 1889 Bucephala albeola Oct. 21 1 ♂ 1 ♀ 10 ½ 8 (short) 23 10 ½ 8 1889 70 Bucephal.albeola Oct. 13 2♀ 25 3 Jun _ 26 4 Jun Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1890. 46

Charitonetta albeola. 1889. Maine. T. Umbagog. Only four individuals seen this season, female or young on October 2lst; a fine adult male accompanied by a young male on the 22d, a single adult male on the 23d. The first mentioned specimen was diving in shallow water close to the shore of Moose Point. It allowed us to paddle within close gun range, the boat being partially concealed by a mat of grass hung over the bow. I shot at this bird, but failed to kill it. The two noted on the 22d came into a cove near our camp and began diving close to the shore. I watched them through a glass for over an hour, during which time they dove incessantly, sometimes alternately, but usually both together or one immediately after the other They rarely remained under water more than half a minute at a time. Upon coming to the surface the buoyancy of their bodies seemed to carry them upward above their normal level, or in other words they seemed to bob up like corks, sinking backwards into the water just afterwards. Their manner of diving was closely similar to that of the Whistler and less finished than that of the Meganser and Grebes. The adult bird presented a beautiful appearance on the water, looking almost snow white and carrying his crest erect most of the time, his head looking very large and fluffy. They kept diving in nearly one spot which was on the opposite side of the cove from where I was concealed; and at length making up my mind that they were not coming across to my side, I took a boat and paddling across the mouth of the cove passing within about one hundred yards of them, landed When the boat came in sight they watched it and ceased diving, but did not seem to be much alarmed. I then stalked them easily enough by making short, quick runs when they were under water and finally shot them both. From the fact of their diving so long and incessantly in nearly the same spot I supposed, of course, that they found an abundant supply of food there, but upon dissecting them I was surprised to discover that there was absolutely nothing in their stomachs except a very small quantity of gravel. The flight of this Duck is swift and direct like that of the Golden Eyed. Unlike that species, however, its wings do not make any distinct whistling sound. It looks very small when on the wing and can be readily distinguished by the peculiar markings, the white spot on the side of the head being especially conspicuous. 47

Charitonetta albeola. 1889, October 22. Lake Umbagog. Pine Point. While waiting for breakfast saw a fine adult male Buffle- head floating on the calm surface of the Lake opposite our camp. Jim paddled me out but just before we started two Whistlers joined our bird and of course started him long before we were within gun range. Just after breakfast a pair of Buffle-heads, the male a superb adult and perhaps the same just mentioned, alighted in the cove just north of camp. I went over land to the water's edge but they swam across to the Moll's Rock shore and began diving there. Accordingly I returned and Jim paddled me across the mouth of the cove. Landing just inside the Rock I went through the woods and by making three runs when the birds were under water got within good range. I fired as they swam together, killing the adult male. a gun δ, The other bird dove, quite by chance, just as I pressed the trig- ger and I had to fire the other barrel at her after she came to the surface.

L.Umbagog. Bucephala albeola 1890. Three ?? or young in Erroll Hill pond diving incessantly for Oct.25, food, sometimes close in shore sometimes out in deep water. They arched their backs and sprang nearly clear of the water, cleaving the surface almost (but not quite) as deftly as Sheldrakes. When under water their positions could be traced by the bubbles which kept coming to the surface. When the bird reappeared its buoyancy made it bob high out of the water like a cork. Two fished together diving and reappearing at about the same time. The others worked singly. All maintained perfect silence. One flew and alighted near me striking the surface with a light rustling sound and shoot- ing several yards making a silvery wake or furrow. Four in Erroll Hill Pond to-day. I watched them for about Oct.26, three hours, during which they fished uninterruptedly. Although most industrious and energetic in pursuing this occupation they seemed to be much less restless than most Ducks, confining their operations to a more limited area, and often diving for half an hour or more in practically the same spot. They were feeding (as I ascertained by shooting and dissecting two of them) on the larvae chiefly "darners"(Notonecta) and "water bugs"(Gyrinus) of aquatic insects, with which this pond literally swarms. On com- ing up from a dive each bird would usually erect its head and look keenly around for a moment but often this precaution was omitted. They paid little or no attention to noise and I found it perfectly easy to approach them within close gun range although it was im- possible to move in the woods without making a good deal of noise the ground being covered with dry leaves and dead twigs and the day perfectly still.

L.Umbagog. (continued) Bucephala albeola. 1890. When I fired at some Black Ducks the Buffle heads flew to the Oct.26, other end of the pond but they soon returned and began fishing again; The flight of this Duck is exceedingly swift and somewhat erratic. The bird on wing looks so small and makes such sudden and sharp turns that it might be easily mistaken for a Plover or Snipe. 50

Harelda hyemalis. 3 51.

Harelda hyemalis. Harelda glacialis Found a flock of five in the lake near Great Island and shot them all. There were four adult males and a female. When we first saw them at a distance they looked snow white & we took them for Gulls. Our boat was brushed with rushes & we paddled to within thirty yards of them. I killed three. The other two circled about the male uttering his familiar kow, kow & lit, and finally South Amboy, N.J., Oct. 27, 1853 Marine 52

Harelda hyemalis. L. Umbagog, Maine. Harelda glacialis Oct. 17 2 and 23 and 8 | 1885. Harelda glacialis Oct. 17 4ad 8 | 1888. 1887 - may Harelda glacialis One ad. & full black pt. at Poplar Tavern killed by D. Hayward on Lake Umbagog, May, 1887 1889 Harelda Oct. 19 (4 ad ♂, ♀ brown birds) 84 Harelda glac. Oct. 20 (4 ad ♂) 21 (4 ad ♀) 22 (2) Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1890. Maine (L. Umbagog) Occurrence in Spring 1887 May - Mrs. Bartlett of Poplar Tavern has a remarkably fine black Old Squaw which was killed on Umbagog last May by David Hayward. The latter tells me that there were three of them (two drakes & a duck) together but they were very shy so he got only one. Harelda glacialis.

Harelda hyemalis. MAINE, (L. Umbagog.) Harelda glacialis. 1885 Oct. 17 Shot two in the lake near B. Point. Both were young birds. They were very tame and we paddled to within close range before they seemed to alarm us when they suddenly stretched up their necks and took wing - too late. They looked small and very white & I at first mistook them for Snow Geese. Oct. 23 A flock of nine in the lake off Moll's Rock. On the smooth water they looked many white when their breasts were turned towards us and I discovered them near Harelda glacialis Red Squaw 1889. Maine, L. Umbagog. A flock of six of these birds appeared in the Lake early on the morning of Oct. 19th, alighting off the mouth of R. Brook Cove I chased them about for several hours, but found it impossible to get within gun-shot of them. In fact they invariably flew before we were within two hundred yards. The early morning was calm, the middle of the day somewhat windy, but the change of conditions seemed to make no difference whatever in their habits. Through my glass I distinctly saw that four of the flock were adult males. The other two were either females or young birds. These were the only examples of this species which I identified with certainty.

Harelda hyemalis. 1889, Lake Umbagog. October 19. Off B Brook Cove. We next tried the Old Squaws but they were as wild as Black Ducks. Four of the six were fine old drakes. When they flew they joined a flock of about 20 Am.Scooters which we had not hitherto seen.

Oidemia americana 4 56

Oidemia Lake Umbagog. 1889, Flock of 500. September 5. Steve Morse tells me that a flock of fully 500 Coots was seen on Richardson Lake on the morning of the 2d. 1889, B Pond. September 30. Two Scoters in the pond. 1889, B Cove. October 10. Three species together. Shortly after daybreak Jim discovered a large flock of Coots in the lake off B cove. As soon as we finished breakfast we put the grass on my boat and started after them . . . ^ 1889, Near Great Island. October 16. Hearing a sound like escaping steam we looked up and discovered a flock of nine Scoters scaling down from an immense height. They alighted near Great Id. This was about 10 A.M. After searching for nearly an hour we finally made out the Coots within near the usual place off the Cove. We paddled to ^ about 60 yds. When they flew I shot down three one of which gave us a long chase. It made surprisingly protracted dives. There were nine Velvet Scoters with this flock, but they kept a little to one side and beyond. The bulk of the large flock seemed to be composed of female and young O.americana of which species there were certainly not over five or six adult males in the entire lot. There were also a few female or young Surf Scoters among them, for I heard their croaking and quacking cries and Mr.Noyes shot two which I examined, both young birds. 57

Oidemia 1889, October 10. (2) Lake Umbagog. Three species together, B Cove. The Velvet Scoters came back and alighted near us but we tried in vain to paddle within range of them. An hour later we discovered the large flock of Butter- bills in the Tyler Cove and paddled to within about 50 yds. when I shot down four getting them all. Two young birds came back and alighted near one of the wounded birds at which I fired several shots without starting them. After I had killed him we paddled to to other two and I killed one in the water and the other as it rose. October 30. Lake Umbagog. Lakeside. Left Lakeside for Bethel at 8 A.M. Just as the stage was about to start immense numbers of Scoters suddenly appeared flying high at first, finally swooping down after many evolutions and alighting in five separate flocks, the largest of which con- tained fully 500 birds. Four boats put out in pursuit of them but they rose wild and began wheeling and circling again. 1898, September 26. Lake Umbagog. Pine Point. Baker returned from B Pond this afternoon with a fine lot of trout. He reports seeing a flock of about twenty large black Ducks, which Ellsworth (the guide) says were Butter-billed Scoters, in B Pond this morning.

Oidemia americana 1882. Maino (Lake Umbagog), Oct. 8-22. Many large flocks alighted in the Lake during the first half of October. A flock of over a hundred was observed October 3 when numbers were killed (see card). L. Umbagog, Maine. Oedemia am Oct. 3 100 Oedemia americana Oct., 12 & next 16 fell 100 1835. Oedemia americana, Oct, 16 30 - 25- wounded 1836. Oedemia am. 28 200 Sept. 1887. Oedemia am Sept. 30 200 1kkk Scratch } Sept 22 24 28 Oct. 6 30 - 7 30 9 25 - 11 25 1888 Undentified Oedemia am Sept. 23 (Sad?) 1889 Oct. 3 100 ad & 78) about 9/10 (17) (30) 3 - 9 - 10 gr grey - 12 (autm) 16 - 19 all brown birds of 7 that young. 21 1/2 1889 Scutum? Oct. 30 four flocks one flock of fully 600) 88 Oedemia am. Oct. 13 4 ad & 78 gr mm 16 gr mm Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1890. 2 - 21 5 ad & 27 6 shot 59

Oidemia americana. Maine (Lake Umbagog) Oidemia americana! 1896 Oct. 12 Shot two near the southern end of Great Island. They were very tame allowing me to paddle within range in an open boat and much swimming rapidly as we approached One of them repeatedly uttered a low hoarse quack or gag cry which I have never heard from this species before. Both were young birds rather fat - their stomachs empty. Oct. 16 They were first seen by David Hayward off the mouth of B. Cove. He paddled to within long range and shot one with two barrels at about one hundred yards started them just north of the barage, and a little later they came near. By night flight had become nearly dark I picked them leave the lake and kept in Lake Umbagog, Me. Sept. & Oct. 1893. Oidemia americana Oct. 13 (6) one that by A. Cobleigh y examined by me. Unidentified Scoters - the majority probably Oidemia Americana) Lake Umbagog, Me. Sept. & Oct. 1893. Sept. 21 (10) four or five flocks one of about 100 birds reported by Thomas' son. " 29 7 flock of about 50 seen in Bunker near Great Island by Chas. Kidder. Oct. 2 1 flock of 6 by B. Conn. " 15- several flocks by Alvah Cobleigh Lake Umbagog, Maine. Unidentified Scoters 1894 August 31 appr Oidemia Sept. 19 2 flocks in Ball off A. Morse Pt seen by Mr. Sergent. Later in R.H. It was raining at the time with thaw & wind. Heavy & storm that night. Oct. 3 two birds seen by Wm & Jane off Bain Pt. thought by them to be Buffle-bills (Oidemia) 1895. Sept. 8 3 seen by Mrs. Sergent off Bain Pt. thought to be Velvet Scoters - young birds - Lake Umbagog, Maine. Oidemia Americana 1895. Sept. 28 (20) in Ball by S. Morse Conn. The large (15) flock was made up of about 80% adult males. The smaller nearly of 90 or young & all nice gray birds. There four from large flock, 3 old and 1 young. 60

Oidemia americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1888 Sept. 30 A cold, gloomy day with occasional snow squalls, About noon my guide saw two flocks of Coots come down from the Sky & alight on to love They pitched down hundreds of feet nearly flat their wings making a noise like The Steam escape of an engine. One flock of fully 100 birds. They would run away 15 to 20 minutes & fly miles out & around the lake finally returning & alighting nearly where they started. My guide paddled in to within 40 yards of them & I killed 14 with 2 loads. Every bird in the flock as I saw plainly Autumnal occurrence at L. Umbagog. On the above date several flocks of these Ducks were seen on both Umbagog. Mr. Folsom killed nine from one flock which he thinks contained two hundred birds. They are first seen near B. Point but well out in the lake. They are very tame but hard to kill. He shot one & took it in the boat apparently dead ; shortly afterwards it began to struggle when he wrung its neck & apparently killed it. But upon firing another shot it jumped over the side of the boat, down and was not Oidemia americana Upton, Maine Oct. 3, 1852 61

Cidemia americana. was an adult & Oedemian. They were in a house about four or five miles distant from the city and were taken ill with diarrhea one afternoon. About at sunset they went into the house at seven o'clock. The fever was very high. At 10 o'clock, in a 20 minutes, I heard they sent in a line demanding a doctor immediately. Doctors were finally obtained and delighted. It was a long time before they could get the water almost entirely like a track lay. been again. The first one of the soldiers who went out carrying to his face but really died in our camp for the night night, from which he died in a few days and was buried "[illegible]" "The night of the 3rd Mr. D. died of fever. His body was buried in a place where there were high hills. The people who knew him said he had been for years, they said he said "[illegible]" [illegible]. 61

Oidemia americana. Lake Umbagog, Maine. (Sargent's Cove). 1883. As we were going from the landing to the hotel in the Sept.30. twilight we heard and saw the big flock of American Scooters circling overhead 1000 ft. or more high on their way to the sea. The combined clamor of their cries was exactly like sleigh bells.

Oidemia americana. I888, Head of Lake Umbagog. September 30. I stop 20 Coots with the discharge of two barrels and bag I4 of them. At daybreak Luman saw two flocks of Sea Coots descend to the lake from the skies. After breakfast we brushed the boat and Luman paddled me to within forty yards of the larger flock which we found composed wholly of adult male Am.Black Scoters. They presented a superb appearance swimming slowly past our bows in broad long line about five or six Ducks abreast. Their yellow bills were very conspicuous. I shot number 4 into them on the water and B.B. as they rose. Fully 20 birds were left on the water, about 7 dead, the others variously wounded. I kept on shooting at the wounded and chased several a mile or more. We secured in all I4. At 10 A.M. started for Lakeside. Lunched at foot of Great Island. Thence to Sargent's Cove where we found a flock of 8 Surf Scoters. I shot three of them and also a female Am.Scooter . . . As we were going from the landing to the hotel in the twilight we heard and saw the big flock of Am.Scoters circling overhead, 1000 ft. or more high on their way to the sea. The com- bined clamor of their cries was exactly like sleigh bells. (The remarkable shot into the flock of Butter-billed Coots described a- bove was made with my I2 g. Fox gun weighing only 7 I/2 lbs.). I889, Lake Umbagog. October 16. Pine Point. Early this morning Jim shot a Scooter (O.americana) which was swimming past our landing. It was very thin and had a broken wing

1889, October 3. Oidemia americana. Lake Umbagog. The big flock (discovered in the lake this morning by Jim) was composed almost entirely of adult male American Scoters with a few females and one or two Surf Scoters. They presented a superb appearance on the water, a shining black mass dotted all over with spots of gleaming gold. They were very active and playful at times. At others they merely drifted in a compact line looking exactly like a black log. They rose at frequent intervals and mounting high in air circled and wheeled for many minutes at a time, flying miles before realighting, and uttering their wild, jingling chorus of "sleigh-bell" cries. They flew in various orders, sometimes in a V, sometimes in a long line either parallel with or at right angles to their course. At times they "bunched" closely together when we could distinctly and frequently hear the crowded wings strike one another, making a noise like a paddle dropped lightly on the water. When they set their wings and descended towards the lake they made a sound like a gale of wind blowing through the woods or perhaps more like escaping steam. This was distinctly audible a mile away. On the water they frequently executed a sort of revolving dance, the whole flock swimming rapidly in a circle, each bird using his paddles so vigorously as to keep most of his body above the surface. This performance made a plashing sound like heavy rain on a still pond. During it they did not use their wings at all. Occasionally but rarely a single bird would rise on end and flap his wings like a Loon. Almost incessantly one or more birds 64

Oidemia americana. 1889, Lake Umbagog. October 3. (2) were going through a motion which seems to be peculiar to Scoters if not to the single species, O.americana. This motion is difficult to describe. The bird seems to raise the entire for- ward half of his body out of the water and lengthening his neck stretches it straight upward, presenting nearly the appearance of a bottle floating with its neck upright. He then shortens his neck and sinks back into the water. The wings are not opened. The action takes only a fraction of a second. October 19. Lake Umbagog. Off B Brook Cove. We finally paddled to the latter (O.americana) near Metalluc Id. and I stopped seven with four barrels (of my two guns) getting all after reshooting two or three. Six of the seven were young birds. There was not a black male in the whole flock. October 21. Lake Umbagog. Glaspy Cove. In the Cove two Scoters apparently feeding close to the marsh. One dove. I shot the other and found it to be a young Butter-bill apparently not a wounded bird. 1890, Lake Umbagog. October 21. B Brook Cove. We next tried the large flock of Butter-bills and got within good shot of them. They rose and flew across our bows when I shot down five with the first barrel and three with the second, getting all but one of the total eight. Four were killed outright. 65

Oidemia americana. 1896 Lake Umbagog. Sept. 20 James Bernie who came up the lake this afternoon reports seeing a flock of about fifty "bitterns-bills" in the stretch between Balside & Great Island. They were very restless flying back & forth constantly, there was a heavy rain storm yesterday but to-day was clear with the wind north-west blowing half-a-gale. 23 Mr. Sargent saw a flock of about thirty Scoters which he thinks were "bittern-bills" in the lake off B. Brook Can. The wind was north-west blowing heavily at the time. Oct. 2 Two large flocks 3 Five flocks one of 150 birds a good many Surf Scoters mixed in. 4 Flock of about 150 birds near Balside.

(I) Oidemia americana. Odimia Americana, 1889. Maine. T. Umbagog Scooters of all three species were more numerous in Umbagog this autumn than I have ever known them to be before; among them the present species represented fully seventy-five per cent of the total number. I saw the first flock September 21st It contained three adult males and four brown birds, probably females. I shot two males. The next seen were on October 3d when a flock of fully one hundred came into the Lake. Of these at least ninety were adult males and several of the remaining ten, all of which were brown birds, were Surf Scoters. On October 10th a flock of about seventy-five alighted in the Lake. Of these fully nine tenths were females and young. On the 12th I saw a flock of seventeen, on the 16th a flock of nine, on the 19th a flock of thirty all of these being brown birds. Besides these records, most of which were authenticated by shooting specimens, I saw several other flocks, at too great a distance to be sure as to whether they were American Scoters or Surf Ducks. On October 30th at about 8 A.M., just as I was leaving Lakeside on my way home, an extraordinary number of Scoters appeared over the Lake, circling about and finally alighting in several distinct flocks. The largest flock contained at least six hundred birds and in all there must have been fully one thousand in sight from the house at one time. They were so far away that I could not identify them, but they all certainly belonged to either one of the other of the two species just mentioned and doubtless represented both. It will be observed from the foregoing that the first flocks which came into the Lake were largely composed of adult males, showing that these migrate first. Nearly all the larger flocks contained a few Surf Scoters although the latter often occurred in flocks by themselves. Both species invariably came into the Lake sometime between daylight and ten o'clock A.M., usually between six and eight A.M. We often saw them come in and in no instance that I remember were any observed swimming in the Lake before sunrise. They came from the west or the north-west and during their descent made a prodigious noise which resembled the sound of wind blowing through pines, or still more closely, that of escaping steam. Looking up we would often discover a cluster of black specks two or three thousand feet above the Lake, shooting down almost vertically with set wings. After descending to within one hundred feet or less of the water they would either make a wide circle to check their force of their descent and then alight, or oftner resume their flight on a level plane and course

(2) Oidemia americana. 1889. Maine. I. Umbagog. up and down the Lake several times as if to inspect it thoroughly before making up their minds to alight. As on former years, they invariably settled first on one of four places, although there seemed to be no reason why they should prefer these to the hundreds of other spots which the broad sheet of water offered. The fact that the single birds and little parties of three or four which occasionally came into the Lake were quite as apt to alight in one place as another leads me to conclude that the larger flocks are led by old birds which have visited the Lake before during their migrations and which have regular places for alighting. Fully two thirds of these large flocks settled either at the lower end of the Lake between Great Island and Lakeside or on the upper stretch near the mouth of B Cove, the third choice being the stretch just above the narrows and the fourth choice the region about the outlet. After alighting the flocks usually remained on the water for half an hour or more, then taking wing they would fly up and down the Lake a number of times, sometimes rising high in the air, but always, unless shot at, returning and alighting again near the place whence they started. If not disturbed they would take these flights at regular intervals during the entire day. If shot at a flock would usually alight at a distance of a mile or more after flying about for sometime, frequently rising to the height of one thousand feet or more and sometimes going off to the southward nearly or quite out of sight. In no instance either this year or in former years have I known a flock to be driven out of the Lake however much it was persecuted, but a large flock often breaks up into several small flocks after having been repeatedly shot into. The large flocks always alight in deep water out of gun-shot of the shore. Single birds, pairs and little parties of three or four are, however, frequently found close in shore in the coves as well as sometimes in the Cambridge and Androscoggin rivers. After alighting, large flocks usually move steadily, but very slowly in one direction for half a mile or more before taking wing. They swim in a long line or in a short straight bar composed of four or five ranks. At a distance a flock in the latter order closely resembles a floating log. In the good old times when Black Ducks, Wood Ducks, Teal, etc., were a hundred fold more numerous at Umbagog than they are now no one thought of shooting Coots except perhaps occasionally for their feathers or in mere wanton curiosity to see how many could be killed at one discharge into a crowded flock. But now they are hunted eagerly by every one and they are getting shyer every year. A large flock will seldom allow an open boat to come nearer than sixty or seventy yards, but a boat covered with grass or bushes and skillfully handled can often be paddled within close gun-shot. Curiously 68

(3) Oidemia americana. 1889. Maine T. Umbagog. enough the birds seem to be shyer when first approached than af- terwards, even though they may be fired into at every attempt. Thus I have repeatedly got within less than thirty yards of a flock at a third attempt, after having fired at them as they rose at a distance of sixty or seventy yards and perhaps killed one or two during the first and second attempts. They show little alarm, but in fact do not apparently notice a boat until it is within about one hundred yards when they begin to swim rapidly, usually spread- ing out into a long line at right angles with their course. This is perhaps done to enable the end birds of the line to see past the brush or grass in the bows of the boat. If there is a wind blowing and the boat approaches them from windward as it should, they will usually try to swim past it on one side or the other so as to get a chance to rise up having to fly wind without coming to near it. They swim with great rapidity, turning their heads incessantly from side to side to look back over their shoulders. It is very easy to tell when they are about to fly, for a few birds, and sometimes the whole flock, stop swimming and stretch up their necks before unfolding their wings. For the first two or three yards they use their feet as well as their wings, striking the water with their broad webs as if running, and making a loud patterning sound. Once or twice we approached a large flock within gun-shot without alarming them, our boat of course being carefully concealed by grass. One such flock on October 3d composed almost entirely of adult males presented a superb appearance on the water,- a shining black mass, thickly spangled with spots of gold whenever they turned so that their bills were exposed to the sunlight. At times they were active and playful; at others they drifted in a compact line looking exactly like a black log. Every now and then they indulged in a sort of revolving dance, the whole flock swimming rapidly in a circle, each bird using his broad paddles so vigorously as to keep most of the body above the surface although the wings were not opened. This performance produced a plashing sound like a heavy shower of rain falling on a still pond. Occasionally a single bird in the flock would rise on end and flap his wings like a Loon. Almost incessantly one or more birds were going through a motion which seems to be peculiar to Scoters if not to this particular species. This motion is difficult to describe. The bird seems to raise the entire half or two thirds of the body out of water and lengthening the neck stretches it straight upwards, presenting nearly the appearance of a bottle floating with 69

(4) Oidemia americana. 1889. Maine. L. Umbagog. its neck upright. It then shortens its neck and sinks back into the water. The body must be raised by means of the feet for the wings are not opened in the least. The entire action takes only a fraction of a second. One of these large flocks when shot into invariably flies, its members never scattering about and diving. They usually go several miles before realighting; sometimes merely coursing up and down the Lake fifteen or twenty yards above the water; at others, rising high in the air and after wheeling and circling for ten or fifteen minutes at the height of several thousand feet, scaling down again on set wings precisely as they do in coming in to the Lake at early morning. During one of these elevated flights they are continually changing their order, sometimes moving in a dense cluster, sometimes in a V, like Geese, sometimes stretched out in a long line either parallel or at right angles to their course. When they bunch closely together the crowded wings frequently strike one another with a muffled sound like that of a paddle dropped lightly on the water. This may be heard in still weather at a distance of a mile or more and the escaping steam sound when the flock descends is audible at a still greater distance. During these flights they also utter at times their peculiar loud shrill "Cree" This note, repeated incessantly as it frequently is by dozens of birds at a time, produces a jingling medley which at a distance closely resembles that of many sleigh bells and doubtless has given to these birds the appellation of Sleigh Bell Ducks by which they are very generally known to the people of this region. When in the water they are usually silent, but during this tumbling dance they utter the "cree" note and also a medley of low croaking sounds closely resembling those produced by wood frogs in the spring. These two notes are all that I have certainly identified, but when there are Surf Scoters in the flock one often hears their short hoarse quack also. I am not sure that I have heard the "Cree" from a female or young bird, and in fact suspect that it is peculiar to the adult males. These often utter it just after coming up from a dive when wounded. As before stated I know of no instance in which a flock of these birds that has once alighted in the Lake has been driven out of it during the day, but they invariably resume their journey southward soon after dark on the following evening, rising to a great height and making their course long after they are lost to sight in the feeble light by the sleigh bell medley just described. They never apparently attempt to feed in the Lake further than by occasionally sipping the water as they swim, for 70

(5) Oidemia americana. 1889. Maine. L. Umbagog. I have never seen one dive excepting when wounded. In short it is evident that they alight merely to rest for a day before ac- complishing the final stage of their journaey to the sea. They appear much oftner during clear than stormy weather, and the Lake is doubtless one of the regular stopping places in an established path of migration. These observations, however, do not apply to wounded birds of which a number escape the hunters and remain in the lake until their wings are healed or until the water freezes and they perish. Such wounded birds are often seen near shore about rocky points or even along the edge of the marsh grass which lines the deeper coves. They evidently try to obtain food both in this sedge and by diving in shallow water, but I doubt if they succeed, for sev- eral which I killed this autumn after seeing them in certain plac- es daily for a week or two at a time proved to be much emaciated and their crops and stomachs contained nothing but a little grav- el. A wounded Scoter is not ordinarily a difficult bird to se- cure if the surface of the Lake is calm, for it does not go as far under water or double as often as many of the other diving Ducks, while upon coming to the surface it always shows the en- tire head and usually most of the neck also, as well as frequent- ly portions of the back. If the water is rough, however, it fre- quently escapes. I have several times seen a young bird make very protracted dives in deep water remaining under for nearly a min- ite at a time, but coming up in almost precisely the same spot. On one such occasion the bird after being nearly caught seemed to suddenly learn wisdom by experience, for it changed its tactics and by a succession of long horizontal dives gave us a chase of fully a mile, but it was finally killed. A wounded bird coming to the surface after a long dive usually makes a rather loud gasping sound as it takes in air for a fresh dive.

Oidemia deglandi. 5 72

Oidemia deglandi. 1891. Maine (Lake Umbagog). May 23. While rowing down the lake we discovered three of those Ducks swimming well out from shore, nearly opposite Black Island Cove. We got within about one hundred yards of them when they rose and flew up the lake. One was a fine Drake, the other two females. We could dis- tinctly see the white spot on the head of the male and the white secondaries of all three gleamed in the sun as they flew past the over-grown-clad shores. " 25. A fine adult male swimming in the lake off Great Island; the wind east and the lake very rough. He was shy rising before we could get within gun-shot.

Oidemia deplandi L. Umbagog, Maine. 1881 Melanetta May 23 1 ad 3 25 lad 6 Melanetta velutina Oct 19 1 shot 04st This bird was killed in the back bay a good gun being then by them in Canad 1885. Melanetta velutina Oct, 13 3 (ad 5) 1886. melanetta vel. Sept 4 shot 30 Jun Oct 6 2 7 4 ad 3 11 3 1888 1889 Melanetta Oct. 3 1 ad 8 in flock 4 of Melanetta . 10 (ad 3) 2 - 11 1 13 3 66! Melanitta vel Oct, 5 1 30 gun 13 19 - 14 3 20 6 25 ad 3 2/ 2 ad 8 Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1890. Melanetta velutina 1889. Maine, L. Umbagog. Velvet Scoten The first Velvet Scoter noted this season was seen Oct. 3d in company with a flock of Surf Ducks. It was an adult male apparently in full plumage. On Oct Ioth a flock of nine, all apparent- ly adult males, alighted in the Lake and passed the day there. On the IIth and I3th I saw single birds. All observed this year were exceedingly shy, so much so that I found it impossible to get within gun-shot of them even when my boat was carefully grassed. Lake Umbagog, Me. Sept. & Oct. 1893. Melanetta velutina Sept 23 4 ad 3 Lake Umbagog. 1896. Oidemia deplandi May 26 - A single White wing Scoter seen in the back by John V Waters. " 27. A male in rather dull brownish plumage humming in back near Outler. " 28 Same bird in town flowr. Flies at 200 yds. this is the only instance in my experience of a Scoter able to fly morning in back over moon night. 74

Oidemia deglandi. Lake Umbagog. 1890, October 13. Came back to camp for lunch after which M. started down the lake to the Tyler Cove in pursuit of a large flock of Scoters which Jim discovered there. They proved to be Velvet Scoters, a- bout thirty in number. all females and young. We killed seven of them and a female Surf Scoter which was with them. I spent an hour or more skinning birds and then started out. We had rowed only a few hundred yards when a flock of 19 Velvet Scoters (not the flock M.had been shooting at) came flying up the lake low over the water in a line at right angles to their course of flight. As they passed me within 30 yds. I made a double shot, getting both birds. We followed them but did not get a- nother good chance. 75

Oidemia deglandi 1897. Lake Umbagog. May 30 7 all adult & 2 offspring .. allighted about noon in water opposite Gibb place. Water clear. June 7 Flock of 7 adult & 8 running in water 200 yds. off entrance to Bernard pond. Very fine plumage on some within 30 yds.

Oidemia perspicillata. 6 77

Polionetta perspicillata. Maine (Lake Umbagog). 1874. Sept. 17. Saw a flock of fifteen in the middle of the Lake. A heavy north-east storm gathering. 1882. Oct. 9-22 On October 11 five were shot from a flock of seven by George Hayward (I saw the birds). Both this and the preceding species are regular fall migrants. L. Umbagog, Maine. Polionetta Sept. 17(15) - 1874 / Oct. 11 1890 Polionetta perspicillata Oct. 13-16 1886. Polionetta fusca 17 (ad) - 25 (C.Rail) Sept. 1887. Polionetta for Sept 30 (4 yw) 1888 1889. Oct. 3 (13 2y w) - 10 2y w - 23 1y w Polionetta 87 Polionetta Oct. 7 (4ad 5-6gr yw) - 13 1g Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1890. (8 ad) Surf Scoter 1889. Maine, L. Umbagog. Although less common than the Butterbill this Duck was seen frequently this season during October, sometimes in small flocks mixed with other species, but usually in company with large flocks of Butterbills. On Oct. 3d I shot five from a flock of 13, all of which seemed to be of the present species. Among those killed, two were adult females and three young birds. I did not see a single adult male this autumn. On Oct. 23d I killed a solitary young bird in the Androscoggin river about half a mile below the point where it leaves the Lake. This individual came from down river flying at a moderate height and finally alighting a few hun- dred yards from us. It allowed us to paddle within good gun-shot be- fore starting to fly. On several occasions I heard Surf Ducks utter the short hoarse quack which I identified when at Point Lepreaux. This is the only note that I have ever certainly heard them make. As a rule I think they are somewhat tamer than Butterbills. Their habits when in Lake Umbagog are in every way identical with those of the species named. 78

Oidemia perspicillata. Pelionetta perspicillata Lake Umbagog, Maine Oct. 17, 1853 A flock of at least 100 in the lake. We first saw them above the narrows sailing about 1000 feet or more high. They flew in a perfect V for awhile then in a thick cluster. At the distance of at least a mile the sound of their wings was distinctly heard sounding like the jingling of thigh-bells. After making the circuit of the upper part of the lake they swept down like metors and alighted near the middle. We paddled to them getting Oedemia perspicillata Abnormal occurrence on L. Umbagog. Upton, Maine Oct. 11, 1862 George Hayward killed five of these "Coots" from a flock of seven that he found in the lake near B. Point. I saw the bird less than an hour after they were shot. All were immature, probably young of this year. He says they were very tame and that he rowed up within shot without any difficulty. They may have formed part of a larger flock as much heavy firing was heard up the lake this morning. I think I have no positive record of this Pelionetta perspicillata 1899. Oxford Co., Me. Oct. I one, Lake Umbagog.

Odemia perspicillata. within about twenty yards when they heard of us I went to the boat (the boat was blacked) floss making their late room on this very thin water thin came in close distance. This was many birds now & then I found them adults under some trees, New Brunswick knew & found the American Kite with them being quite active I also heard a lower quacking I replied there was much corn I got out, has some that they were not but it was a dead cold for wounded one that I could find hard. All thin were white heads. The Pole bird left them Upton, Maine Oct. 17, 1892 Odemia perspicillata Additional occurrence on Lumbagog. George Hayward killed five of these "Coots" from a flock of seven that he found in the lake near D. point. I saw the bird less than an hour after they were shot. All were immature, probably young of this year. He says they were very tame and that he rowed up within shot without any difficulty. They may have formed part of a larger flock as some heavy firing was heard up the lake this morning. I think I have no positive record of this Pelionetta perspicillata 1899. Oxford Co., Me. Oct.I one, Lake Umbagog.

Oidemia perspicillata. 1889, October 17. Lake Umbagog. A little farther on (we had been along the west shore of Sweat Cove) a Surf Scoter swam out from the shore and after a few dives was shot. It was a wing broken "cripple", very thin. October 23. Lake Umbagog. Androscoggin River. We had gone only a short distance when we saw a Duck de- scend on set wings and alight in the middle of the river. It rose about 40 yds. ahead and I shot it. It proved to be a young Surf Scoter.

Oidemia perspicillata 1896 Lake Umbagog. September 28, ad ♂ shot by Dayless. October 3 (3) 1897 September 18 4 p.m. Shot by Wm. Sargent found of about 20 yards just above Great Dam. 1899. October 1'

Oidemia perspicillata. Lake Umbagog, Maine. In a small pond. 1897. Purdie and Will went to Errol in the forenoon and did not Sept.18. get back until near sunset. They found four young Surf Sco- ters in a flooded meadow just above Errol Dam. Will taking them for Black Ducks landed and stalked them killing one. The others did not leave the meadow and getting the boat he se- cured them all. It is indeed remarkable that they should have chos- en to alight in such a small forest-encircled sheet of water with the Lake so near at hand but I have known them to be killed in the Androscoggin before this. 1899. Off the mouth of Cambridge River (I was sailing one of Oct.1. my canoes) I came upon a female or young Surf Scoter which was floating with its head buried among the scapular feathers and apparently fast asleep. The canoe was moving at great speed and its prow was not more than six or eight feet from the unconscious bird when the latter happened to raise its head and discovering the danger rose hurriedly and flew out over the Lake. 82

Erismatura jamaicensis. 7 83

Erismatura jamaicensis. Erismatura rubida Occurence on L. Umbagog. Upton, Maine Oct. 17, 1882 A Reddy Duck was shot this evening somewhere near the Hayward farm. I saw the bird next day. It was a young specimen. I have only one other note (in 1880 I think) of this Ducks occurrence here. George Hayward brother tells me that he thinks he has shot several specimens in past years. L. Umbagog, Maine. Lake Umbagog, Me. Sept. & Oct. 1893. Erismatura rubida. Oct. 12 flying fast Pine Pt. 1882 Erismatura Oct. 17 shot 2 shot 2 - 1884 Erismatura rubida Oct. 12 shot 2 7 shot 1885 Erismatura rubida. Oct, 16 Shot Hayward: Erismatura rubida. Maine (Lake Umbagog). 1879. May 25. Mrs. Bartlett showed me a specimen which she said was killed on the Lake last autumn. 1880. May 23. Mr. Wormell tells me that his party once found a flock of eight on Lake Umbagog. 1882. One shot by George Hayward October 17. I saw the bird next day. Two were also shot by the Walton party about the 20th and one by C.F. Batchelder October . 84

Chen hyperborea. 8 85

Anser hyperboreus. Maine (Lake Umbagog). 1861. Nov. -- It was in a flock of Ducks and was so white that he took it, at first, for a Gull. George Hayward shot a Goose which must have belonged to this species just before the Lake froze in.

1896 Oct. 2 Lake Umbagog. When by fusceus et caeruleus An easterly storm running steadily all day but internal winds wind. At about 4 P.M. Charles Douglass was returning to Wadham's from Upton with the Steamer Aristides when he saw two large, light-colored birds on a long narrow strip of grass which at the present stage of water forms the extreme norwesterly island at the mouth of Cambridge River and which is situated in Cambridge, N.H. only about 200 yrs. west of the State line. He took them at first for Hens (one was lying down with the head & wings throwing about the grass, the other flanding) but when he got within about 30 yds. he saw that they were Geese. The engineer fired a shot at them but missed. They ran & flew about 50 yards slightly again in the water. When the Steamer came again within about 40 yds. Chas. Douglass shot them both, one with caula based. They were perfectly silent. I afterwards learned that at 3.30 P.M. a party of three young men coming down the brook in a canoe started these Geese from the S. end of Great Island. I bought these birds of Douglass one hour after he shot them. One seems to be a Blue Goose, the other a Lesser Snow Goose. I have just plummed the Blue Goose. It seems to be a young ♂. The stomach was filled with sand, and a compact mass of the common crow, very under grass that grows all about the lake shores. The neck was in good condition but made only a very title part adjoining to the [illegible] 8½-28.50; up 3-300 in. long, feet webbed, nails black, from color blue dull black with flesh colored feathers near tip, on the ridge of the upper mandible, this does The Lesser Snow Goose also proved to be a young ♂. It was in good condition but there was absolutely no fat on the skin which was very much thinner & tougher than that of the Blue Goose. The stomach is a membranous tube 6 or 8 inches in length connecting the stomach with the throat were crowned with the form even, very gray that the Blue Goose had eaten. Length 27.50; up 3-8.14 wings. Sculpt but is very light greenish blue; inside horn - color ; bills largely uniform dark brown color shading into pale olive brown at tip of both mandibles but without light blotching, this clear head.

chen hyperborea. The Lesser Snow Goose in New England. - I have lately added to my collection three New England specimens of the Lesser Snow Goose (Chen hyperborea); one taken at Toddy Lake, Maine, October 4, 1893, by Mr. Alvah G. Dorr of Bucksport, Maine, another at Lake Umbagog, Maine, October 2, 1896, by Mr. Charles Douglass, the third at Ipswich, Mass- achusetts, October 26, 1896, by a local sportsman who sent the bird in the flesh to Mr. M. Abbott Frazar of Boston. The specimen first named was not sexed; the other two birds were males. All three are young in fresh autumnal plumage and all are prefectly typical examples of hyperborea which, evidently, is of much commoner occurrence in New England than the large form nivalis. The Umbagog specimen was accompanied by a young Blue Goose (Chen cærulescens) which was also killed, both birds coming into my possession less than an hour after their death. - WILLIAM BREWSTER, Cambridge, Mass.

Chen caeruleseens. 89

Chen caeruleseens. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1896. Charlie Douglass )from the steamer) killed a Blue Goose Oct.2. with one barrel and a Lesser Snow Goose with the other, both birds which I have never seen living and both, of course, new to my Umbagog, list. They were on the outermost grassy island at the mouth of the Cambridge River. When first seen the "blue" bird was lying down, the other standing erect. When the steamer was within about 30 yards Frank Douglass, the en- gineer, fired at them but missed. They rose, flew about 80 yards and alighted in the river. Charles Douglass then ran the boat to within about 40 yards of them and killed them both. I learned of all this on my return(from Upton), and at once went to Douglass's house in the pouring rain and bought the birds of him.

Branta canadensis. 10

Branta canadensis. Lake Umbagog, Maine. Bernicla canadensis 1894 September 29 Shot a Water Bird, a male, on a rocky point near Black Island. ( In Journal ) 1895. September 28 (30) Flying due South over heads upwards flock just above the top of Spruce tree without rising perceptibly; 12 noon. Day Cloudless, calm & warm. First day brandy but not cold (wind S.E.) L. Umbagog, Maine. Bernicla canadensis. Oct. 30 flock 76. 1884. Bernicla canadensis Oct. 13 flock of 17 1885 Bernicla can Sept. 17 (9) 1889 Oct. 8 (9) // shot by Noyes in Staved in & one night Bottle Brook Pond.. 16 (29) 17 (23) Bernicla canadensis 1889. Maine, L. Umbagog. Three flocks of Wild Geese were seen in the lake this autumn, two at the lower end near Lakeside, one off the outlet opposite our camp. The latter came in at about six o'clock on the evening of October 16th just as it was getting fairly dark, making a great clamor before alighting and frequently uttering a loud outcry dur- ing the night. The next morning they were in nearly the same place where they had settled the night before, and being undisturbed re- mained until about nine o'clock when they rose high in the air and started southward. On October 11th a single bird was shot by Mr. Noyes in Bottle Brook pond, a shallow pool of less than ten acres in extent, surrounded on every side by woods. One of the flocks seen near Lakeside allowed the steamer to [illegible] within close range before flying. 93 Bernicla can. Oct. 13 (50) Flying over at 7:30 a.m. Several flocks passed night in Lake near Lakeside during the latter half of October. All came in after dark and left at daylight. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1890.

Branta canadensis. 1839, October 11. Shot in Bottle Brook Pond. Lake Umbagog. Moll's Rock. As I was passing the Rock Mr. Noyes called me in and showed me a fine Canada Goose which he shot this morning in Bottle Brook Pond. October 17. Lake Umbagog. On reaching camp Charley told us that a flock of about 25 Geese came into the lake at 6 P.M. yesterday and spent the night off the mouth of the river, leaving at 9 A.M. to-day. 1897, May 12. Lake Umbagog. Lakeside. Besides these Whistlers we saw a pair of Black Ducks. I am told by the Lakeside people that a large flock of Geese a- lighted in the lake on the 8th and another flock on the 9th while two birds were seen on the 10th. All these Geese were seen either between Birch and B Points or in Sargent's Cove.

Branta canadensis 1897. Lake Umbagog. may 8 female, 9 (75) 10 (2) 13 (2)

Branta canadensis 1897 Cambridge R., Mass. September 29 L. Sargent. Sept. 29 A very and exceptionally large Canada Goose alighted on the river at about 9 a.m. in the first reach below the bridge. Brown Sergeant came upon the bird as he was starting to fly. He found up to within about 40 yds. when it rose & flew out over the river heading westerly. The morning was clear & cool. The weather yesterday & on the 27th was wild & windy with 3 inches of rain & hail.

Branta canadensis. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1890. Mr. Sweat tells me that several flocks of Geese have a- Oct.29. lighted in the Lake near his house within the past week. They have all come in after dark and started south before sunrise next morning. He has not known so many Geese to alight in the Lake for many years.

Branta canadensis. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1894. Although I had no intention of doing any shooting I took Sept.29. the little 20 gauge gun with a few shells. It was well that I did so for an unexpected piece of good luck befell me - nothing less than the killing of a fine Canada Goose - the third that I have thus far bagged and the first that I have shot here. Jim and I with a young Upton hunter, Godwin by name, were standing on Black Island reef and I was in the act of taking a photograph of the rocky island just above the reef when happening to look up I saw a huge bird coming from up the Lake. At first I took it for a Great Blue Heron but as it set its wings and scaled swiftly down a steep incline to- wards the water I saw that it was a Canada Goose. It alight- ed on the south side of the island within a few yards of the rocky shore to which it swam and then clambered up on a rock. I exposed my plate and Jim and I discussed the situation. We were scarce 100 yards from the bird and in plain sight of it. There seemed no hope of approaching it but we quickly agreed that the only possible chance was to paddle out into the Lake and getting behind the island to land and stalk it on shore. Godwin was to remain on the reef for the chance of a flying shot. To my great surprise the Goose did not show any alarm at our movements although we took down the camera and em- barked in full view of it. Once as we were paddling out of 97

Branta canadensis. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1894. the Cove it raised its head and looked at us But only for a Sept.29. moment. We soon shut it out of our sight behind the island (No.2). and we both felt nearly sure of it. On landing I found that I could walk erect without being seen and when I reached the bank and looked over there was the Goose nearly where we left it but in the water with its head down, apparently feeding. I shot at its head and killed the bird instantly. It proved to be a male, in good condition but not fat. On skinning it I was unable to find any indication that it had been previ- ously wounded or that it was not in perfect health. It is strange that it should have selected such a rocky shore for a resting place, stranger still that it should have alighted so close in without first reconnoitering the place, and strangest of all that it should have allowed us to circumvent it so eas- ily and openly. 1895. As we were returning to camp at noon, we saw a flock of Sept.28. about 30 Canada Geese. They passed over B.Brook Cove and thence due south over the highest peak of Speckled Mountain without rising appreciably;

Branta canadensis. Lake Umbagog, Maine. Tame. 1897. When we reached the house-boat this evening I learned Sept.29. from Will Sargent that less than half-an-hour after we started this morning Luman Sargent, passing down the river on his way to Lakeside, started a large Canada Goose in the first reach below the mill. The bird was so tame that he got within forty yards of it although he was rowing at the time. When it rose it flew out towards the Lake honking loudly.