SPECIES. 81 



They are loaded with a pound of shot that kills at 200 yards or more. 

 The use of the big gun is unlawful, but duck pot hunters have often 

 eluded the authorities by throwing the gun overboard, having pre- 

 viously attached a string and a large cork, so as to insure subsequent 

 recovery. Shooting from launches, which is also frequent and very 

 destructive in this vicinity, is against the law in many places, and 

 should be generally prohibited. 



The stomach of a baldpate that was taken March 22, 1902, con- 

 tained onljr sprouting wild rice and the stems of some aquatic plants. 

 Two hooded mergansers collected November 15, 1900, had fed exclu- 

 sively on small fish. A lesser scaup duck taken on the same day had 

 eaten the claw of a blue crab and 75 snails (mostly Amnicola altiles, 

 with a few Go)ilabosis nlrgin'icus and Plaiiorhin cdhus). The stomach 

 of a canvasback killed the day previous contained 100 seeds of bulrush 

 {Scirjms). A whistling swan killed November 16 had in its stomach 

 one bulrush seed and a mass of wild celery lea^'es about as large as 

 the ball of a man's thumb. The latter plant is abundant in shallow 

 water about Marshall Hall, and gives the characteristic flavor to 

 canvasbacks and other water fowl that feed on it. 



HERONS. 



The following herons were noted: 



Least bittern {Ardetla exilis). Green heron {Ardea virescens), 2. 



Great blue heron (^?-iiea /i6TOd!a.s). Black-crowned night heron [Nycticorax 



Little blue heron {Ardea cierulea). nycticorax naevius), 1. 



The last three species eat fish extensively, but also take other food. 

 One of two green herons that were collected contained, besides fish, a 

 large spider, a giant water bug (Belostomatidse), and 20 dragon-flies 

 (Agrionidse). 



RAIL. 



The toothsome little sora rail (Porzana carolinct) is found during 

 August and September amid the wild rice of the calamus swamp. The 

 stomach of one, when examined, contained 200 wild rice seeds. 



COOT. 



The coot (Fulica americana) eats mainly wild celery, pond weed 

 {Potamogeton), and other vegetable food, and is not to any marked 

 degree piscivorous, as has been shown by the examination of stomachs. 

 It is frequently caught at Marshall Hall in fishermen's nets. A coot 

 was shot on November 2, 1901. It had been feeding on wild celery 

 tubers or stolons, and in consequence had a most delicious flavor. It 

 was perhaps not quite equal to the canvas-back, but was certainly not 

 inferior to the redhead. The coot should in time take the place on 

 7222— No. 17—02 6 



