Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 533 



the lake only for a brief period in spring, and again from the 

 middle of the summer until at least the first part of November. 

 October is probably its month of greatest abundance. 



The Greater Yellowlegs is one of our most interesting shore 

 birds. It is a stately bird and may often be seen wading along the 

 margin of the lake feeding upon small mollusks, crustaceans and 

 fishes. It is a rather wary bird. Spying the gunner while yet at 

 a long distance, it utters three or four rapidly repeated loud and 

 shrill whistling notes, which serve as a signal to its feathered asso- 

 ciates, when they all take wing and are off; for which reason 

 "Tell-tale" is one of its vernacular names. 



51. SPOTTED SANDPIPER; PEET-WEET 



ACTITIS MACULARIA (Linnaeus) 



This little bird is one of the most common and characteristic 

 shore birds at this lake. It arrives early in spring and remains 

 until late in October. We have records for April 24 and 30, and 

 May 1, 1901; also for August 19 and September 16, 1906, Sep- 

 tember 27 to 30, 1907, and October 1, 10, 11, 12, and 13, 1907. 

 Between these extreme dates they could be seen at any time when 

 suitable portions of the beach were visited. On almost any day 

 during the summer and fall one or more may be seen running rap- 

 idly for short distances along the water's edge, especially on sand- 

 bars in sequestered places, stopping at intervals to balance them- 

 selves with the peculiar teetering motion for which they are so well 

 known, and to utter the characteristic call "peet-weet." When 

 approached this bird takes a low flight, usually out over the lake, 

 circling back to some point only a short distance down the shore 

 from where it started. It feeds assiduously along the shore, pick- 

 ing up small crustaceans, mollusks, insects, and other small bits 

 of animal matter, dead or alive. In this way this bird acts to some 

 extent as a scavenger, as do many other shore birds, doing much 

 to keep the beaches clean. 



This Sandpiper breeds at Maxinkuckee. Its nest is a simple 

 affair, a mere depression in the sand, usually where there is some 

 rubbish or drift material, often at a considerable distance from 

 the water. It may be composed of a small quantity of dead vege- 

 tation, but is at best a mere makeshift of a nest. The eggs, usually 

 4 in number, are creamy, buff or clay in color, blotched, spotted and 

 dotted with blackish-brown. They measure about 1.34 by .94 

 inches. 



