516 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



call. Its flight is heavy and awkward, and the method of alighting 

 on a tree is ludicrous. It drops its legs down preparatory to 

 alighting and leaves them dangling in a peculiar manner some 

 time before reaching the tree. 



The birds usually come early in the spring and remain until 

 late in the autumn. They were seen at various dates every year 

 spent at the lake. They probably nest somewhere in the region, 

 but no nests were found. They nest, generally, throughout the 

 state, their favorite nesting places being low dense woods, the 

 water beech being one of their favorite trees in which to nest. 

 They also nest in orchards. The nests are flat platforms built 

 loosely of coarse sticks, and sometimes found in small colonies. 

 The young remain in the nest till of good size, and a little before 

 they leave are fierce-looking little creatures. Upon shaking the 

 nest they catch hold of the boughs with chin and feet, climbing 

 about somewhat after the manner of a parrot. The young attempt 

 to escape capture by ejecting the contents of the crop upon the 

 would-be captor. The Green Heron is more tolerant of civilization 

 than any of the other herons and is often seen in orchards and 

 about farmhouses and about the lagoons in public parks. 



Our notebooks contain the following references to the Green 

 Heron : 



1899. Noted frequently during July and August. 



1900. Two noted July 17 and one July 18. 



1901. May 13, one seen at edge of lake north of the Winfield 

 cottage ; 15th, one at south end of lake, 23d, one toward south end 

 of lake ; June 8, one seen at Long Point ; 10th, one heard ; seen fre- 

 quently from this date on to the end of summer. 



1902. June 19-20, one at Long Point. 



1904. November 12, one seen between Murray's and Farrar's. 



1906. July 30, several seen at Norris Inlet; August 19, sev- 

 eral seen in the dune region southwest of the lake. 



1907. Noted on September 9, 12, 22, 24, 25, and 26, in various 

 places about the lake. 



1913. September 3 and 4, one seen at Long Point. 



40. SANDHILL CRANE 



GRUS MEXICANA (Muller) 



A pair were seen by the senior writer on the prairie west of 

 Culver on April 6, 1885. It is said that they used to be common 

 in that region where they were sought by hunters. None has 

 been observed about the lake in recent years. 



