150 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



that of the heron. Although it belongs with the waders, and is often 

 found in wet places, it has little in common with the herons and frequents 

 upland pastures and plowed fields as well as grain fields in preference to 

 marshes and swamps. 



Its food is decidedly unlike that of the herons, since during a large 

 part of the year it feeds extensively on vegetable food, eating roots, 

 bul])s, grains, berries, etc. as well as insects, frogs, lizards, snakes and 

 mice. It is said to be especially fond of corn, which is taken from 

 the shock, and in Nebraska Prof. Aughey found it feeding freely on grass- 

 hoppers. Occasionally it may prey upon fish, but this certainly is not a 

 common food, and we do not know of an instance which has been observed. 



While it migrates by night as well as by day it feeds mainly if not entirely 

 during the day, in which respect again it is unlike most herons. Its flesh 

 is excellent for the table, and it is hunted accordingly wherever it occurs. 



Naturally watchful and suspicious it has become still more so through 

 persecution, until in most parts of the state at the present time it can be 

 approached only with the greatest difficulty and must be shot with the 

 rifle if at all. In flight it carries the neck and legs stretched out to their 

 full extent in line with the body, and squads or flocks are often seen flying 

 in single file like ducks or geese. Its note is not easily described, but once 

 heard is not soon forgotten. One writer likens it to the sound of a coarse 

 cow-bell, another to the rattling of blocks and tackle on shipboard when 

 getting up sail; still another says it resembles the creaking of a gate or 

 windmill, while I never hear the note without thinking of the sound 

 produced in trying to get water out of a wooden pump which has run down 

 and been long out of use. When heard at a distance of a mile or more 

 the notes are not unmusical, but at shorter distances they lose all charm 

 for the sensitive ear. 



The nesting habits are very variable in different parts of its range. In 

 Michigan, so far as we can learn, the nest is invariably placed flat on the 

 ground in rather open and extensive marshes, but usually on some small 

 island or ridge of slightly higher ground where there is no danger of inunda- 

 tion. The nest itself consists of weed stalks, grasses and similar rubbish, 

 not very deeply hollowed, and rather carelessly lined with grass. The 

 eggs are invariably two, and are spotted and blotched with reddish brown 

 or gray on an olive or pale buff ground. They average 3.98 by 2.44 inches. 



In Michigan this species is now far from common. Twenty-five years 

 ago it probably nested in almost every part of the state, and even ten 

 years ago it was seen spring and fall passing north and south in small flocks 

 in most parts of the state. Dr. Atkins of Locke, Ingham county, noted 

 its arrival at that place in spring for 27 consecutive years. His earliest 

 date was February 19, 1857, and the latest April 12, 1864. On 21 springs 

 it appeared in March, and on 16 of these it first appeared between the 15th 

 and the 31st. He found the nest with nearly fresh eggs on June 8, 1879. 

 Until within eight or ten years the species has nested every season near 

 the Agricultural College, and the eggs or young have been taken frequently. 

 Since 1900 the nest has not been found here so far as I know, although a 

 few of the birds have been seen passing northward in the spring. One or 

 more pairs spent the summer of 1910 at Chandler's Marsh, just north of the 

 College, and undoubtedly nested in the vicinity. They were not noted 

 during the summer of 1911, but a squad of 4 or 5 fed there regularly during 

 most of October. 



Major Boies states that he noted but two of these birds during his stay 



