514 Lake Maxinknckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



them well; indeed, they are even more difficult to discover than 

 the larger species. Following are our records of definite dates on 

 which we observed the least bittern about Lake Maxinkuckee : 



1899. — Noted in July, also on August 4 and September 11. 



1901. — May 25, one near the Outlet; 26th, one on Lost Lake; 

 29th, one seen on the flat at north end of Lost Lake ; 30th, one near 

 the Outlet ; 20th, one at the Outlet ; June 3, two near the Outlet ; 

 20th, one at the Outlet, 22d, one at the Inlet. 



1902. — June 24, remnants of a nest near the water in a clump 

 of grass and button-bushes in Green's marsh. 



1903. — September 21, one noted. 



1906. — July 30, one seen at Inlet. 



1907. — September 9, one scared up in front of Chad wick's in 

 afternoon, flew just west of the steamboat slip where it alighted 

 in the rushes; 14th, one on Chadwick's lot in morning. 



At the Goose Pond, 9 miles south of Terre Haute, the least 

 bittern formerly nested in considerable numbers. The senior 

 author was wont to visit this interesting pond on Decoration Day 

 each year. Then the woods about the pond were full of migrating 

 warblers, and the pond itself was in its most attractive condition. 

 Pond turtles and water snakes w^ere abundant, resting on broken- 

 down patches of cattails and Scirpus and basking in the warm 

 sun. Great patches of white waterlilies were at their best, the 

 fragrance of the beautiful flowers filling the air. And, most inter- 

 esting of all, the little bitterns were there in abundance and the 

 nesting season was at its height. 



We are told that this beautiful pond is no more. It has been 

 ditched and drained and converted into cultivated fields, more's the 

 pity. There will now^ be more corn and cabbage and hogs, but 

 less of nature and beauty and the appreciation thereof, 



38. GREAT BLUE HERON 



ARDEA HERODIAS Linnseus 



Our definite dates are as foflows: 



1899. — July 26, one seen. 



1900. — July 24, one seen flying southward over Lost Lake. A 

 Great Blue Heron, probably this same individual, had been seen 

 previously on several occasions by others. Messrs. Young and 

 Knowlton saw a flock of 14 west of the lake, August 24, and one 

 with a broken wing seen on outlet stream below Lost Lake. Sep- 

 tember 18, one seen below Lost Lake; 27th, one seen flying over 



