WATERFOWL, IN" NEBRASKA. 29 



t KING RAIL. Rallus elegans. 

 This species lias bred at Trout Lalje and at some of thie other bodies of water 

 in this region, but is apparently rare. 



"VIRGINIA RAIL. Rallus virgimanus. 



This rail seems to be rare, though known to many inhabitants of the region. 

 We saw it only in eastern Cherry County — two in the marshes bordering Dewey 

 Lake, one at Hackberry Lake, and one at Watts Lake, all on June 5 ; and two 

 at Big Alkali Lake, June 9. 



t SORA. Porzana Carolina. 



The sora is a breeding bird of the lakes, but is apparently everywhere rare. 



* YELLOW RAIL. Coturnicops novebora^ensis. 



A single bird seen in the marsh on the north shore of Pelican Lake on June 10 

 was the only individual noted. The lateness of this date indicates that the 

 species may possibly once in a while remain to breed in the sandhill country. 



FLORIDA GALLINULE. Gallinula ohloropus cachinnans. 



This is apparently a rare bird here. We found it only at Hackberry Lake, 

 eastern Cherry County, where we saw two on June 5, 1915. 



AMERICAN COOT. Fulica americana americana. 



This species was found in summer at all the lakes, both large and small, 

 wherever there was a sufficient growth of rushes, reeds, or other vegetation 

 about the shores to offer opportunity for concealment and for nesting. It was 

 breeding numerously during June. Of 4 nests found on Pelican Lake, June 

 10, the only one examined contained 6 eggs. On West Cumbow Lake, which 

 has very little open water, but is largely marsh and of limited extent, we noted 

 8 nests on June 11 ; and on Welker Lake, which has still less suitable vege- 

 tation, we noted 4 nests on the same date. At the third Sweetwater Lake, 

 on June 12, we found, without special search, 11 nests, one of which contained 

 10 eggs. Undoubtedly careful search would reveal hundreds of nests of this 

 species on the lakes of this region. Although June seems to be its chief breed- 

 ing season, this species apparently begins to nest in early May, as indicated by 

 a brood of five small young seen on Hackberry Lake, eastern Cherry County, 

 June 5. Considering the value of its flesh as food, it is rather surprising that so 

 much prejudice exists against this bird as an object of sport. 



Next to the black tern, this well-known bird, commonly called mud-hen, is in 

 summer the most numerous of all the kinds of waterfowl in the sandhill region, 

 and on some of the small lakes almost incredibly numerous. On Pearson Lake 

 179 were counted on June 18 ; and on Marsh Lake, Brown County, a lake barely 

 three-quarters of a mile long, 89 were counted on June 13. Other lakes on 

 which it was very abundant are Red Deer Lake, June 8 ; Pelican Lake, June 10 ; 

 the third Sweetwater Lake, June 12 ; Lee Lake, June 18 ; Hackberry Lake, June 

 5 ; Dewey Lake, June 3 to 18 ; Willow Lake, June 4, all in eastern Cherry 

 County ; Speckelmire Lake, June 16 ; White Willow Lake, June 16 ; Red Willow 

 Lake, June 16 ; Silver Lake, June 16, all at the head of the North Loup River ; 

 Eldred Lake, June 22 ; Swan Lake, June 21 ; and the Peterson Lakes, June 22, 

 all in Garden County. 



About the lakes in eastern Cherry County this bird was the most abundant 

 species of waterfowl from October 6 to 9, 1915, and we noted it at practically 

 all the lakes. Nineteen hundred were observed at Pelican Lake, alone, on 

 October 12. Likewise, on the lakes of Brown County, October 10 to 11, it was 



