183:: 



burden imt npon them. After the first third of the century, their num- 

 bers began noticeably to diminis-h: but few large flights were seen in oui'- 

 State after bSTd. Ten years later, they had almost disappeared. Now, 

 they are nearly extinct. A few individuals are to be found in certain 

 localities in the rougher portions of southern Indiana (Proc. I. A. S.^. 

 1899). 



In the extreme northern part of the State, prairies and swamps, lakes- 

 and woodland alternate. The marshes and lowlands of northwestern In- 

 diana form attractive spots to many swamp birds and waterfowl. Differ- 

 ent kinds of ducks collect there and a number of species breed in the 

 more retired places. Formerly, they were much more numerous. There, 

 also, the Whooping (Grus americana) and Sandhill Cranes (Grus mexi- 

 cana) bred in numbers. Snipe and Plover were found abundantly. 

 Phalaopes and Black Terns (Hydrochelidon nigra suriuamensis) fre- 

 quented the lakes and ponds. Gallinules, Coots and Grebes still rear- 

 their young. Rails of four sp,ecies make their homes among the reeds. 

 Marsh Wrens and both the American (Botaurus lentiginosus) and Least 

 Bitterns (Ardetta exilis) frequent the sedges; while the stems of these 

 plants are drawn together to form nesting places for the Red-winged 

 (Agelaius phoeniceus) and Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus- 

 xanthocephalus), and their tops are woven into the globular nests of the 

 two species of Marsh Wrens. The dryer marshes are the breeding 

 grounds of such rare forms as Henslow's (Ammodramus henslowii) and 

 Nelson's Sparrows (Ammodramus candacutus uelsoni). The swampy 

 woodland is the home of other water-loving species. Among the tops of 

 the tallest trees are still to be found the small remnants of large colonies 

 of Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) and Black-crowned Night Herons. 

 (Nycticorax nycticorax ntevius). Here, too, we have recently learned 

 that the beautiful White American Egrets (Ardea egretta) commonly 

 made their homes, nesting In colonies or heronies. By this fact, its 

 known breeding range is extended northward a distance about equal to 

 the length of this State (Proc. I. A. S., 1897, pp. 198-201). Among the 

 tree-tops, too, were to be found the nests of the Osprey (Pandion halia?tus 

 carolinensis) and Bald Eagle (Halireetus leucocephalus). In the larger 

 cavities in the tree trmiks, the Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) still rear their 

 broods, and the deserted Woodpecker holes in the old snags are occupied, 

 by White-bellied Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and Prothonotary War- 

 blers (Protonotaria citrea). 



