WATERFOWL IN NEBRASKA. 25 



remains much or the time along their margins among tlie vegetation, whence, 

 like the blue-winged teal, it gracefully paddles out into open water when dis- 

 turbed. Like most of the other ducks, it is fond of sunning itself on the sandy, 

 muddy, or grassy shores of the lakes, and is observable often in considerable 

 companies thus resting. In June it is largely in pairs, though many males are 

 sometimes seen together or singly, the females being probably engaged else- 

 where in nesting duties. 



Next to the blue-winged teal, the " spoonbill," as this beautiful bird is com- 

 monly called, is in summer the most abundant duck throughout almost all of 

 the sandhill region. It is likewise well distributed, as may be inferred from 

 the fact that we saw it at all but six of the lakes in the eastern Cherry County 

 group and at all but three of the Brown County lakes. In the other lake 

 groups it was well-nigh as evenly distributed. Of the lakes in eastern Cherry 

 County it was most abundant at Cornell Lake, June 9 ; Belsky Lake, June 12 ; 

 Muleshoe Lake, June 7 ; North, Middle, and South Marsh. June 8 ; Pelican Lake, 

 June 10 ; Clear Lake, June 4 ; the Sweetwater Lakes, June 12 ; and Red Deer 

 Lake, June 8. In Brown County most shovellers were seen on Diamond Lake, 

 June 14 ; Enders Lake, June 13 and 14 ; Moon Lake, June 13 ; and Rat Lake, 

 June 14. The species was less numerous about the lakes at the head of the 

 North Loup River, but was common at Speckelmire Lake and in a marsh near 

 White Willow Lake. It was one of the most abundant ducks in Garden County, 

 and was observed most numerously at Moffitt Lake, June 21 ; the three Hague 

 Lakes, June 21 ; Phalarope Lake, June 22 ; Swan Lake, June 21 ; and Alkali 

 Lake, June 21. It was also noted at South Cody Lake, June 1. 



It was abundant on nearly all the lakes in eastern Cherry County, October 6 

 to 9. Five were seen on Rat Lake, Brown County, October 11, and 50 at Long 

 Lake on the same day. It was abundant on most of the lakes in Garden and 

 Morrill Counties, October 14 and 15; and hunters reported it common on the 

 Platte River, October 20 to 22. 



PINTAIL. Daflla acuta tzitzihoa. 



The pintail is one of the three most numerous breeding ducks of the sandhill 

 region. Found on all the bodies of water, even the roadside pools, it is fond of 

 sitting in the grass by the margins of the lakes with its long neck extended, in 

 which characteristic pose it is readily distinguishable from the other waterfowl. 

 During summer it was not often seen out in the open water of the larger lakes, 

 but seemed to prefer the grassy and reedy marshes and the swamps, as well as 

 the grassy pools. The pintail breeds earlier than the other ducks of this region, 

 and at the time of our visit a large part of the eggs had apparently hatched. 

 We found, however, one nest of nine eggs at Dewey Lake, June 6, and another 

 of seven at Belsky Lake, in eastern Cherry County, June 12. Both were at the 

 edge of the sandhills near the lakes and were mere depressions in the ground 

 lined with down and a little grass. Broods of 1 to 12 small young following 

 their parents were seen on many of the lakes. Nine such family companies were 

 seen on Muleshoe Lake, June 7 ; and 7 on Pelican Lake, June 10. A brood of 12 

 was noted on Dewey Lake, June 10, and others on June 5 and 12. Other broods 

 were seen as follows : one on Long Lake, eastern Cherry County, June 5 ; one at 

 Mallard Lake, June 7 ; one at Reservoir Lake, June 7 ; one containing 11 young 

 at Big Lake, June 7 ; one at Johnson Lake, June 8 ; and one at Big Alkali Lake, 

 June 9. A brood of 6 young was found with the female on South Cody Lake 

 on June 1 ; and a brood of 8 young at Long Lake, in Brown County, June 13. 

 The mother bird, when surprised with her young in the water or at the edge of 

 a lake, usually remains in the water and leads the young toward the open lake ; 



