20 



BULLETIN 794, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



As was the case with the other groups of Nebraska lakes visited 

 during the autumn of 1915, the amount of water in these was con- 

 siderably greater than usual at that time of the year, and this con- 

 dition had a corresponding effect on the waterfowl. Birds in this 

 region were, according to reports which we received, more numerous 

 than is common in the autumn, notwithstanding the fact that the 

 northern birds had not yet put in an appearance in any considerable 

 numbers. Hunting was about as good as usual, although consid- 

 erably more had been done here than in some of the other places 

 we had visited ; hence the birds were more unevenly distributed, hav- 

 ing taken refuge on certain of the less-frequented bodies of water. 

 There are comparatively few hunting lodges in this region, but the 

 ranch houses serve this purpose for visiting sportsmen. 



Watee Bieds Observed June 21-22, 1915. 



GAME BIRDS. 



Mallard. 

 Gadwall. 



Blue-winged teal. 

 Shoveller. 

 Pintail. 

 Redhead. 

 Canvas-back. 

 Ruddy duck. 

 American coot. 

 Western willet. 

 Upland plover. 

 Long-billed curlew^. 



nongame birds. 



?rebe. 



American eared 

 Forster tern. 

 American bittern. 

 Black-ci'owned night heron. 

 Wilson phalarope. 

 American avocet, 

 Killdeer. 



Water Bieds Observed October 14-15, 1915. 



GAME birds. 



Mallard. 

 Gadvi^all. 



Green-winged teal. 

 Blue-winged teal. 

 Shoveller. 

 Pintail. 

 Redhead. 

 Canvas-back. 

 American coot. 



nongame birds. 



American eared grebe. 

 Pied-billed grebe. 

 Ring-billed gull. 

 American avocet. 



THE PLATTE RIVER. 



The Platte Eiver at the time of our visit— October 21-22, 19l5— 

 was unusually high for this season, and in many places was running 

 full from bank to bank, covering most of the extensive sand bars and 

 flats that are normally bare. This rendered unavailable much of the 



