Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 495 



September 19-21, flying about in flocks of 4 to 6. The first noted 

 in 1906 were seen July 29; others may have been present earlier 

 but our notes do not mention it. This one sat nearly all day on a 

 stake in the lake in front of the ice houses. Another was seen 

 September 13. In 1907, one or more were noted September 8, 9, 

 10, 12, 22, 24, 25, and 30. On September 24, 41 were observed in 

 the north end of the lake flying against the wind. In 1910, several 

 were seen May 30, and more than a dozen on July 4. 



On September 21, 1913, a flock of 12 appeared at the lake and 

 they were noted almost daily thereafter until October 2, after 

 which none was seen. They frequented the north end of the lake 

 and were often observed resting on a floating piece of timber in 

 the lake off the ice-houses. They would sometimes remain there 

 for an hour or more at a time, then they would circle about over 

 the lake, now and then striking at a school of skipjacks or other 

 small fish at the surface, sooner or later returning to the resting 

 place where they would again remain for some time. 



This graceful little tern is one of the most interesting and at- 

 tractive birds that visit this lake; usually quiet, but sometimes 

 uttering a sharp cry, as if of alarm or anger ; sometimes skimming 

 low over the lake, now and then striking the surface where a school 

 of skipjacks is swimming, at other times, particularly when a 

 storm is approaching, circling high in air. All these terns are fish- 

 eating birds, but they prey chiefly upon the small surface-swim- 

 ming fishes such as the skipjack and the grayback minnow. They 

 do no harm and add much to the attractiveness of the lake. 



The fact that this tern is seen about the lake in every month 

 from April to September suggests that it may breed in this 

 region. 



11. FLORIDA CORMORANT 



PHALACROCORAX AURITUS FLORIDANUS (Audubon) 



The Cormorant is one of the rarest migrants at Maxinkuckee. 

 Our only records are as follows: September 20, 1900, one seen 

 flying over the lake ; October 8, 1900, 3 were seen perched on a tree 

 at Long Point ; another seen on Long Point, October 19, 1907 ; and 

 3 seen flying over the lake September 20, 1913. On October 16, 

 1913, one was seen on the Kankakee River near Hebron, some 40 

 miles west of Lake Makinkuckee. 



Although the Cormorant is a greedy fish-eating bird, its rarity 

 at Lake Maxinkuckee precludes it from exerting any appreciable 

 influence on the fish-life of that lake. 



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