Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 463 



several pairs of these interesting rodents. At and about Lake 

 Maxinkuckee it is quite common, albeit not often seen except by 

 the few elect who know when and where to look for it. In the 

 autumn and early winter, especially in the evening and early morn- 

 ing, they may be seen swimming about or heard splashing among 

 the weeds near shore. It is at this time that they begin to build 

 their houses, and day by day those who pass along the shores of 

 the lakes or about the ponds and marshes may notice the increase 

 in size of the piles of Chara and rushes of which they build their 

 winter homes. These homes or houses are built almost anywhere 

 along the shore in shallow water or even well out in small shallow 

 ponds wherever there is suitable building material conveniently at 

 hand. Every Scirpus patch is likely to contain one or more of 

 these houses. On the west side of the lake we usually found one 

 in a small pond by the side of the railroad just north of the Assem- 

 bly grounds, two or three in the edge of the lake between there 

 and Culver, one near the Winfield cottage, one or more in Outlet 

 Bay, two or three between Long Point and Murray's, six or more 

 from Murray's to Norris Inlet, a score or more about Norris Inlet, 

 several along Aubeenaubee Creek and perhaps a dozen in the 

 northeast corner of the lake and along Culver Creek. A great 

 many are seen each year about Lost Lake and along the Outlet 

 throughout its entire length, even to Tippecanoe River. Each of 

 the marshes and ponds west of the lake has its share of nests 

 and each old kettle hole that is not too dry will have one or more. 



While these are the usual places where the muskrats build their 

 houses, now and then a house is found in some quite unusual and 

 unexpected place. Among them are the cross-timbers under the 

 piers at the cottages about the lake. December 24, 1900, a com- 

 pleted nest was found resting cosily on cross-timbers under the 

 pier at the Lakeview Hotel. Though not large this nest was com- 

 pactly built. It was composed almost wholly of Chara and was 

 a foot or more above the surface of the water. November 2, 1904, 

 another nest was found in a similar situation on cross-timbers at 

 the distal end of the Culver depot pier. This nest was quite large 

 and composed chiefly of Chara. When disturbed the owners of 

 these nests would drop quietly into the water and swim away. 



Toward the last of October, 1904, a nest was found on the seat 

 of an abandoned boat near Murray's. This nest was newly built 

 and consisted chiefly of Chara and Scirpus stems. Later, when 

 the lake froze over it was deserted. Still another nest was found 

 on the top of a tree that had fallen into the lake, and yet another 

 on the boughs of a broken tree that extended into the water. 



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