170 



OKmTHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 13-No. 11 



Mr. A. J. Arnold, of Coliiinlms, who lias a 

 collection of birds, says, " Oii the 25th of April 

 ('88), a friend gave me a Night Heron, hut 1 

 have seen four of these birds within the last five 

 years." Mr. LeKoy Miller, a former student of 

 the Normal, reports this bird in Webster 

 county, where it is said to breed. Said to look 

 backward at its pursuers when on its flight. 



(204) tTi-us inai-ricaiia (Linn). Whooping 

 Crane. Occasionally seen during spring and 

 fall migrations. 



(20.5) (t. canadi'iisia (Linn). Little Brown 

 Crane. I have not seen this bird in Nebraska, 

 but Kidgway gives it as, " Migrating south 

 through western LTnited States, east of the 

 Rocky Mountains to Mexico."' 



(206) ft. mrxiranii (Mull). Sandhill Crane, 

 Common during spring and fall migrations, and 

 nieiitioncd by .\ugliey :is collccteil in ,\ugust, 

 July, .luiie and September. 



(208) Rallns deyans And. King Uail. 

 Aughey mentions seeing this bird in southern 

 Nebraska. His record dates from May till 

 October. Probabl}' breeds in the state. 



(212) M. mrainianus Linn. Virginia Rail. 

 Common during the migrations and i)roi)ably 

 sometimes bieeds in the state. 



(214) Parzaaa carulina (Linn). Sora. 

 Aughey mentions seeing this bird once in state, 

 near Dakota City, September, 18(iit. We have 

 not observed it, but as it is found aud breeds 

 in Kansas, Iowa and Dakota, i)robably exists 

 in the state. 



(216) P. jainiiicensis (Gniel). Black Rail. 

 Aughey mentions seeing two in Richardson 

 county in September 187.3. 



(219) G'dlinnla cjaleata (Licht). Florida 

 Gallinule. One lueutioned by Aughey as sent 

 from Beatrice in September 1872. 



(221) Fulica americana Gmel. American 

 Coot. Conmion summer resident and abun- 

 dant during migrations. Arrives about the 

 Brst of April. One kept in a bo.K in our labora- 

 tory never refused to fight when an opportunity 

 was given. Frequently when discovered they 

 make no effort to escape till caught, or else 

 content themselves by simplj' hiding the head 

 till picked up. Mr. T. A. Leger, a student of 

 the Normal, speaks of cax>turing this bird in 

 Seward county, and taming it. It delighted in 

 catching, and eating, young chickens which 

 approached too neai- the cage. Mr. G. A. Cole- 

 man, a former student of the Normal, in speak- 

 ing of a trip to Lehigh's Lake, about three 

 miles from the Missouri, says, "As we looked 

 up the lake, we could see that the water was 

 literally covered with .American Coots. * * * 



On top of a number of these houses, (muskrafs), 

 coots were sitting. We were much engrossed 

 in studying their actions, as they would sit for 

 a few minutes perfectly still, and then suddenly 

 slide off into the water, diving as they did so, 

 remaining under for a minute or more, with 

 nothing visible except the tips of their tails. 

 Then they would as suddenly rise, and with a 

 splutter and splash be otl' again. Very graceful 

 are they as they glide smoothly along, turning 

 their heads from side to side, their white bills 

 Ha-shing in the sun light in strong contrast to 

 their glossy blue coats. They arrive here the 

 last of March and nest in April. Though I 

 have often found their nests, I have as yet been 

 unable to secure their eggs. The nests are 

 built in the tall weeds and rushes which grow 

 in shallow muddy places in ponds an<l sloughs 

 on top of the broken down old growths that 

 form a sort of platform just above the water. 

 It is a deep hollow nest composed of bitten-off 

 stems of weeds and rushes." 



(224) Phalaropus tricolor (Vieill). Wilson's 

 Phalarope. Has been found in Nebraska from 

 the last of April till sometime in September. 

 Probably breeds in the state. 



(225) Renirvirostra amnrkana Gmel. Am- 

 erican .\vocet. F^ound over the state in .July, 

 August and Sei)tember. This bird will probably 

 be found in the state as early as the first of 

 May, and perhaps breeds sparingly, as it is 

 known to breed in Kansas aud Dakota. 



(228) Philohcla minor (Gmel). American 

 Woodcock. Somewhat common during migra- 

 tions. Given by Aughey as breeding in the 

 state. Has been found from .luly to September 

 or October, but a careful search throughout the 

 state would probably show its presence much 

 earlier in the spring. 



(2,?0) GalUnago iMicata (Ord). Wilson's 

 Snipe. Common during migrations. Has been 

 killed as early as April 13th, and Aughej' re- 

 cords it for May, June, August, September and 

 October. Mr. C. J. Pierson, a former student 

 of the Normal, says, " When flushed these 

 birds fly in a zigzag course which renders 

 shooting them very ditticult. The hunter may 

 stand for many minutes within a few yards of 

 them aud not sec them, so nearly are they the 

 color of the earth and weeds. They live in 

 marshy places." 



(131) MacrorhampliMS yriseus (Gmel). Do- 

 witcher. Mentioned by Aughey as " abundant 

 during its migrations," who records specimens 

 examined in August, September and October. 



(232) M. scolopaceoiis (Say). Long-billed 

 r)o\vitcher. Baird mentions this bird as taken 



