530 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Siirvey 



tion is growing-, thanks to the interest and activity of the Lake 

 Maxinkuckee Association and a number of appreciative citizens 

 and visitors, and it is hoped and beheved that the fish and game 

 laws will hereafter be better observed. 



The Coot breeds at this lake in very limited numbers; indeed, 

 in most seasons it is not believed that any do so. Formerly a few 

 pairs nested each season about Lost Lake or in the Norris Inlet 

 marshes. The nest is made of dead reeds and grasses placed on 

 the ground near the water, on a tussock, or on a mass of floating 

 vegetation. The reeds or flags on which it rests are broken down 

 and the nest sometimes rises and falls with the water. The eggs 

 are clay- or creamy-white in color, uniformly and finely dotted all 

 over with dark brown or blackish specks. The full nest comple- 

 ment usually numbers from 6 to 15 and the egg measures 1.77 to 

 2.00 inches long by 1.40 to 1.45 in the shorter diameter. Their 

 nesting season in this part of the State is in late May and early 

 June. 



46. NORTHERN PHALAROPE 



LOBIPES LOBATUS (Linnaeus) 



The only example of this species ever observed by us at Lake 

 Maxinkuckee v/as seen September 21, 1913. It was at the water's 

 edge on Long Point, where it was feeding. It appeared to be feed- 

 ing on insects in or at the edge of the water. It was very tame 

 and permitted very near approach so that it could be carefully ob- 

 served. When approached too near it would wade out into the 

 water, and if further pressed, it would swim away a short distance, 

 then rise and fly out over the lake in a short circle, then come back 

 and alight behind us on the shore. 



This bird remained on this stretch of shore all day but by the 

 next morning it had gone. 



47. WOODCOCK 



PHILOHELA MINOR (Gmelin) 



This bird seems to be quite rare ; indeed, almost unknown at the 

 lake. It is significant that although hunting and game are matters 

 of considerable interest in the region, one never hears of this bird 

 being taken. We have only two records for this species at the 

 lake: A pair were seen April 6, 1885, by the senior author in a 

 marshy prairie just west of Culver, and about August 10, 1900, Dr. 

 Scovell saw one on the west shore of the lake. 



Those seen on April 6, 1885, were evidently mating. One of 

 the birds, presumably the male, would rise high in air by a kind of 



