Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 483 



remarkably large. The total of their influence upon the life of 

 the lake must be very great, indeed. 



There is probably no other lake in Indiana, if, indeed, in the 

 Mississippi Valley, where ducks are so abundant as to species and 

 individuals as at Lake Maxinkuckee. At least 21 species of ducks 

 are known to visit this lake, and several of them in great numbers. 

 The physical characteristics of the lake, its location, and the abund- 

 ance of wild celery and other suitable food, all combine to attract 

 the ducks during their migrations and to hold them for many days, 

 especially in the fall and early winter. 



In the spring the ducks begin to appear just as soon as any open 

 water is found in the lake. This will usually be in narrow strips 

 along the shore, particularly at the south end where the water is 

 shallow and where the ice melts readily. Soon after the ice has 

 left the lake they appear in great numbers. 



In 1901, the only spring for which we have many records, the 

 first arrivals were noted March 2. The next day a great many 

 were observed. On the 4th, 8th and 9th, several large flocks were 

 seen, although the ice was not yet off the lake and there was very 

 little open water so that the ducks had to rest upon the ice. On 

 the 12th the largest and most numerous flocks were seen, usually 

 flying over the lake, but sometimes finding the open water where 

 they alighted. After that date they continued to be noted almost 

 daily in considerable numbers until the last of April. They were 

 noted as abundant on April 26. On the 27th only a few were 

 seen and at no time after that date were they numerous, although 

 a few were seen almost daily until May 18. After that date only 

 a few scattering ducks were observed. There were 5, probably all 

 little bluebills, that remained in the east and southeast parts of 

 the lake at least up to July 10 when Mr. Clark left the lake. One 

 of these seemed to be crippled and it may be that all of them were 

 birds which were unable, on account of gun-shot wounds, to con- 

 tinue their northward migration. A single canvasback was also 

 seen July 10 in the southwest part of the lake. It and a pair of 

 the little bluebills acted as if they had nests somewhere on the 

 shore, and it is not unlikely that a few ducks that have recovered 

 from wounds nest at the lake each season. Our fall and winter 

 records are much more complete. Our earliest fall record is for 

 August 21, 1906, when several ducks were seen at some small ponds 

 north of Twin Lakes, a few miles north of Maxinkuckee. On Au- 

 gust 31, 1908, a good many wood ducks, several mallards, and a 

 few coots were reported from some small ponds just west of Max- 

 inkuckee. It is usually not until well in September, however, that 



