502 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



November 1, 1902; and on November 9, 1906, when a female 17 

 inches long, and weighing 4 pounds, H ounces was taken. 



Usually no distinction is made between this and the smaller 

 species ; they are both locally called bluebills. 



27. LITTLE BLUEBILL 



MARILA AFFINIS (Eyton) 



The Little Bluebill, called in the books Lesser Scaup Duck, 

 Little Blackhead or little Raft Duck, is known at Maxinkuckee 

 simply as the Bluebill. It is the most abundant and, in many re- 

 spects, the most interesting species coming to that lake. 



Our note-books contain records of this species as follows : 



1885. April 7, the senior writer shot a fine male in an open 

 strip of water near the Farrar cottage. Length, 17 inches ; wing, 

 8^; tail, 3|; tarsus, 1|; weight, 24 ounces. Several others were 

 seen. April 18, a young male in immature plumage was received 

 from the lake. 



1899. October 16, a good many noted. 



1900. October 17, one seen; 18th, a flock of 12 seen; 20th, a 

 dead one found; 21st, a flock on Lost Lake; November 7, three 

 or 4 flocks seen ; 9th, good many in the south end of lake, 2 hunters 

 got 5 in the forenoon ; found one dead on shore at south end ; llth, 

 15th, and 20th, many; hunters after them in motor boats; found 

 one dead at Norris Inlet on 20th; 22d, abundant; 26th, got one; 

 December 2, good many; 8th, many, some flying quite near Mr. 

 Clark while he was taking temperatures at the Deep Hole; 12th, 

 plentiful; 13th, very many far out; 14th, abundant; 15th, large 

 flock in Outlet Bay; 16th, big flock on lake; 2 were caught on the 

 ice ; 19th, many on lake ; 28th, a flock scared up from beach on Long 

 Point; 29th, one got. 



1901. January 1, abundant in the open pool near the Deep 

 Hole; 2d, one shot in north ice pool, and one caught on the ice; 

 3d, two males and one female in ice-pool, eating small mollusks; 

 February 7, one tried to alight near the ice houses where ice was 

 cut. March 24, flock seen at south end. April 1, a hunter got 3 

 females on east side of Long Point; 4th, many, some flying over; 

 5th, noted ; 6th, one gotten ; 8th, noted ; 9th, many, mostly hugging 

 the west shore in front of Shady Point both morning and evening ; 

 10th, a large flock, mostly Little Bluebills, near shore all day in 

 front of Shady Point; one found dead at Norris Inlet; llth, many 

 near shore; 12th, largest number yet seen near shore, the whole 

 lake off east side of Long Point nearly black with them ; one hunter 



