22 BULLETIN 794, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



ANNOTATED LIST OF WATER BIRDS IN THE SANDHILL AND 

 PLATTE RIVER REGIONS OF NEBRASKA. 



The following list comprises all the water birds known to breed in 

 the sandhill region of Nebraska. Those not met with by the writer 

 are indicated by a dagger (f). With these are included those ob- 

 served by the writer during June and October, 1915, in the sandhills 

 and in the Platte Eiver region ; and such of these as are not known to 

 breed in the State are indicated by an asterisk (*). The annotations 

 are nearly all from the writer's observations. Autumn notes are 

 placed in separate paragraphs. 



Game Birds. 

 * RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. Mergus serrator. 



A single female on Pelican Lake, June 10, and another on Big Lake, June 7, 

 both in eastern Cherry County, were the only ones observed. 



HOODED MERGANSER. LopTwdytes cucullatus. 



This is one of the rarest summer ducks in the sandhill region, where it fre- 

 quents chiefly the lakes. The writer's only records are a single bird seen on 

 Dewey Lake, June 12 ; 2 seen on Dads Lake, June 18 ; 2 on Mud Lake, in east- 

 ern Cherry County, June 8 ; and 1 on Alkali Lake, in southeastern Cherry 

 County, June 18. 



In eastern Cherry County 1 was seen on Red Deer Lake, October 6 ; 2 shot 

 on Pelican Lake, October 7, and 2 on October 8 ; 6 seen on Shoveller Lake, 

 October 8 ; and 11 on White Water Lake, October 12. 



MALLARD. Anas platyrhyncha. 



Though not so abundant as some of the other breeding ducks, the mallard 

 is numerous and well distributed, except in the lakes of Garden and Morrill 

 Counties, where in summer it is much less frequent. It was noted at nearly 

 all the eastern Cherry County lakes and was especially numei'ous at Dewey 

 Lake, June 3 to 18 ; Pelican Lake, June 10 ; Big Lake, June 7 ; Marsh Lake, 

 June 8; Trout Lake, June 11; Durbin Lake, June 10 and 12; and the eastern- 

 most of the Sweetwater Lakes, June 12. Four were noted on South Cody Lake, 

 June 1; and the species was common at most of the Brown County lakes, 

 especially on Enders Lake and Marsh Lake, June 13 and 14. At Speckelmire 

 Lake, near the head of the North Loup Eiver, a flock of 45 was seen on June 

 16 ; and the species was observed on the same date at Red Willow Lake, Duck 

 Lake, Round Lake, and Silver Lake of the same group. At the lakes of 

 Garden and Morrill Counties it was less numerous, though fairly well distrib- 

 uted, the largest number (30) being seen on Moffitt Lake, June 21. It was also 

 common on Swan Lake on June 21 ; Bean Lake, June 21 and 22 ; Trainor Lake, 

 June 22; and the Peterson Lakes, June 22. This species inhabits both the 

 lakes and the surface ponds, and is one of the best known of all the ducks in 

 this region. A nest containing 9 eggs was seen on June 4 on a high sand- 

 hill along the south side of Dewey Lake. This was placed on the ground amid 

 the high grass and yucca plants and was exceedingly well concealed. It after- 

 wards was broken up, however, apparently by a skunk or coyote. Two other 



