60() 



Report of State Geologist. 



in the noi-thern part of the State. The first shot at English Lake in 

 1886 was March 1(5. March 17, 1889, a number were seen. They were 

 unusually fat for S23ring birds (Deane). Five or six were seen at 

 Petersburg, Mich., March 12, 1893, and it was again noted March 14 

 (Jerome Trombley). They begin to pair about the 25th of March. 

 T.he flocks dissolve, and the number of pairs increase throughout the 



■>lu(vellei'. 



early part of April. At that time they pass on to tlu' iiorihward in 

 some numbers. Some remain until lato April and even t'urly ]\Iay be- 

 fore leaving, and others remain to breed. i\lr. Deano says, in 1889, 

 Shovellers remained at English Lake until the first week in June. 



They have been reported as breeding in Lake Counry (C. E. Aiken), 

 and Starke County (Euthven Deane). Mr. Deane tells me that May 4, 

 1890, Pearl Taylor found a nest of this duck at English Lake in a 

 clump of willows, low down near the edge of a meadow. The nest con- 

 tained nine fresh eggs, which are now in Mr. Deane's collection. 



They have several times been reported late in May and through 

 June. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that it will be found 

 breeding more commonly than we suppose. Three or four were seen 



