4 THE O. & O. SEMI-ANNUAL. 
mile from the Illinois river, which is its outlet at the upper or north 
end, while the classical “Spoon River” drains it from the lower or 
southern extremity. 
At low water the lake is about five miles long by one and a quarter 
wide. At the south end there is a dense growth of flag, covering a 
space of a thousand or more acres. This place in suitable seasons 
was said to be the nesting site of great numbers of the American 
Coot Fulica americana. 
The investigation of this marsh was therefore the main object of 
my visit at this time. To accomplish this a boat was indispensable, 
and we at once set about procuring one. ‘This was no difficult task 
for the fishermen near by had a score of them to let at twenty-five 
cents a day. 
And indeed an antiquated specimen of the genus “Elm Peeler” 
whom I had known many years, coming forward just at this time, of- 
fered me a boat for all day if I would just dish him out some quinine. 
“For,” said he,“the old gal and six of the young uns have been shak- 
in’ powerfully with the ager.” It is needless to say that he got the 
quinine. 
Inquiring of him if there was any “mud-hens” in the flag this 
season, he replied : “Yes, jest scads of them.’”’ Noticing my gun, a 
quizzical expression came over his face, and shutting one eye he 
ejected about a half-pint of tobacco juice upon a duck that was wad- 
dling around a few feet away, and remarked: “Soy Doc. what yer 
goin’ to shoot those pesky things for—why, a dog wouldn’t eat them.” 
Without stopping to explain to him the object of our visit, we load- 
ed ourselves and accouterments in a boat and set sail for the home of 
the coots, at the lower end of the lake, distant about two and a half 
miles. Green, who was handling the oars, at once set about telling 
some big fish stories while Herriford, who had been a river man all 
his life, interluded the ‘“‘whoppers” by an occasional boating song. 
A half-mile down our course we came to a low island of two or 
three acres, covered with a stunted growth of half-dead willow. Pul- 
ling on my waders, I went ashore and found the island occupied by a 
colony of a few hundred Bi-color Blackbirds—almost every willow 
containing one of their true basket nests. Young birds everywhere 
in every stage of growth. 
Finding two or three nests containing eggs that appeared nearly 
fresh, I took them as mementoes of the trip, and as the first eggs 
