136 



This bird has a curious habit when approached by a boat in a stream, 

 rising often before the boat is within gunshot, and flying directly by 

 the boatman, generally so near that it may be easily broujsht down. 

 The abundance of ducks and other game birds has caused the birds 

 of this family to be but little molested, until within a few years, when 

 the amateur sportsmen from Chicago, finding the ducks difficult to 

 obtain, and "mud hens," as coots and gallinules are called, conve- 

 niently tame, have turned their batteries upon them and have caused 

 a diminution in their numbers about the Calumet Marshes. But in 

 the more retired marshes they still breed in undiminished numbers. 



Family ANATIDJE. 

 Genus Cygnus Linn. 



253. C. buccinator Rich. TRUMPETER SWAN. Occurs during 

 the migrations. Far from common. 



Although many examples of the following species are brought to 

 the Chicago market during the migrations, it is Very rarely that this 

 species occurs. 



254. C. americanus Sharp. AMERICAN SWAN. Rather common 

 during the migrations and a winter resident in the southern extreme 

 of the state. In the spring of 1876 they were more numerous than 

 usual; quite a large number of specimens were in market and many 

 were seen on the small lakes and large prairie sloughs in this vicinity. 



Genus Anser Linn. 



255. A. albifrons var. gambeli Cs. WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 

 Very abundant migrant, occurring in large flocks. Arrives, from the 

 north in October, and disperses over the state. Found in large num- 

 bers in corn tields in the central portion of the state, where hundreds 

 are killed and shipped to the market. When the streams become frozen 

 they remove farther south. Return early in March and frequent the 

 same localities until about the first week of April, when, in company 

 with the various other small species of geese, they depart for the 

 north. During .late seasons they occasionally linger until the last 

 week of April. 



The individual variation in this species is very great. A large ma- 

 jority have the ordinary white frontal band and the under parts plen- 

 tifully mottled with black. In others the black gradually decreases 

 until some specimens do not show the least trace of dark on the abdo- 

 men; in such instances the frontal white band is usually present. 

 The young exhibit a dark brown frontal band in place of white, but 

 with more or less dark spots \>n the abdomen. In very high plumage 

 the abdomen becomes almost entirely black, only a few rusty colored 



