BIKDS OF INDIANA. 653 



September 10, 1892 (Parker); at Sandusky, 0., September 28, 1896 

 (Mosely), and Mr. Chas. Dury informs me of their occurrence at Eng- 

 lish Lake in October. There are specimens of this bird in the State 

 Museum taken in Boone County. Mr. Euthven Deane found a number 

 at English Lake August 8, 1897. 



"Breeds abundantly about Hyde Lake and Calumet, 111., and at 

 Wolf Lake, at Kouts and Liverpool, Ind., laying three or four green- 

 ish-white eggs in a nest just above the water" (Parker). Has 

 also been reported breeding in Lake County by Mr. George L. Toppan, 

 Mr. H. K. Coale and Mr. L. T. Meyer. Mr. C. E. Aiken, Starke 

 County, English Lake, "saw several and found nest built of loose, dry 

 cane, attached to the reeds three feet above water," June 10, 1888 

 (Deane); same locality (Dury); Dekalb County (McBride, Mrs. Jane 

 L. Hine, Feagler); Vigo County, "a number breeding May 31, 1890" 

 (Evermann); Boone County (Beasley); Laporte (Barber). 



The account of his observations concerning their habits at breed- 

 ing time has been very kindly furnished me by Prof. Evermann. He 

 says: "I first discovered the nests of this bird May 31, 1890, while 

 gathering water lilies in the pond (Goose Pond, nine miles south of 

 Terre Haute). The water does not, in spring at least, reach a greater 

 depth than three feet in its deeper parts. The center of the pond is 

 filled with water lilies (Nuphar and Nymphcea), which were then in 

 bloom, while in the more shallow water are rank growths of cat-tails, 

 rushes (Equisetum limosum), sedges (Sagittaria), pickerel weed (Pel- 

 tandra undulata), etc. We found on this day twelve nests, containing 

 altogether forty-three eggs of the Least Bittern. A week later, June 

 6, I found two more nests, containing four and five eggs, respectively. 

 I usually found the nest from a few inches to a foot above the water, 

 placed upon a few stems or leaves of the cat-tail, which the bird had 

 evidently bent down and arranged into a very shallow, insecure nest. 

 In a few cases the nests were made of the leaves of Sagittaria or. Pel- 

 tandra, pressed down as were those of the cat-tail. I did not see the 

 bird on the nest in a single case, so watchful and shy are they. In 

 most cases, however, the bird would rise from the cat-tails and fly 

 away, and I was usually able to find a nest not far from where it arose. 

 I did not find more than five eggs in any set (1-5, 1-5, 1-4, 1-4, 1-4, 1-4, 

 1-4, 1-1, 1-1, 1-3 and 1-3 May 31, and 1-4, 1-5 June 6), while most sets 

 contained but four. All the eggs taken May 31 were fresh, and no 

 doubt many of these sets containing but four eggs were not complete." 

 Mr. Blatchley also obtained some eggs from the same pond. 



It also nests on the ground, and is said sometimes to build in a 

 bush. (Cook, B. of Mich., p. 50.) We are also assured in the same pub- 



