38 



Bulletin of the Michigan Ornithological Club. 



eggs. 



another nest, containing twelve 

 This was in a different position from the 

 other two, not being on the edge of a 

 clear space of water, but where the water 

 was only a few inches deep and among the 

 low, dense growth of cat-tails, were inter- 

 spersed a few low poplars two to four feet 

 high. 



Coming back around to the other side 

 of the opening in which we had found the 

 first Coot's nest, Mr. Hankinson found a 

 Florida Gallinule's nest containing eight 

 eggs. This was a little back from the 

 edge of the open water among the dense 

 cat-tails; it was higher from the water 

 than the Coot's nest, and different from 

 them in being deeper, and in not being 

 built upon such a 

 mass or platform 

 of dead flags. 

 The edge, on one 



side. 



was 



left 



lower, and from 

 it to the ground 

 was a sort of in- 

 clined plane, re- 

 minding one of 

 the driveway 

 leading up to the 

 main floor of the 

 ordinary bank 

 barn. This 

 seemed to be the 

 only place used 

 by the bird to 

 enter and leave 

 the nest. 



The afternoon 

 was now well ad- 

 vanced, so we 

 worked our way 

 out into the more 

 open places along the road. As the sun 

 set and evening advanced, the birds became 

 moie active; from different quarters and 

 at irregular intervals came the "booming" 

 of the American Bittern ; here and there a 

 Sora uttered its plaintive call, seeming to 

 be at times almost under foot ; Song 

 Sparrows and Marsh Wrens joined in the 

 chorus, while now and then would mingle 

 in the cry of a Coot or Gallinule, or the 

 peculiar whistle of some wader would be 

 heard in a distant part of the marsh. 

 What a fascination there is in all this ! 

 What a world of unexplored mysteries 

 lies here before us! The Bittern's gurgling 



pumping note that sounded so comical 

 as it was occasionally heard through the 

 day, and many other familiar cries now 

 have an unfamiliarity and weirdness that 

 brings back to our memories with a rush 

 all the goblins and fairies so long forgotten ; 

 the vast expanse of lowland, looking yet 

 larger and more lonely in the gathering 

 dusk, takes on the same enchanting mys- 

 tery that these had to our childish imagin- 

 ations, and we stand in awe, as on the 

 threshold of a strange world. But the 

 spell was suddenly broken by a peculiar 

 note, which Mr. Hankinson said "sounded 

 like a wooden cow-bell, v and crouching 

 down in the long grass, we saw three large 

 Sandhill Cranes coming directly overhead, 



but they were too 

 sharp for us, and 

 turning to the 

 right, went away 

 around out of 

 range. I have no 

 doubt that these 

 birds might be 

 found breeding 

 here, if one could 

 but succeed in 

 finding the right 

 place. 



On the open 

 pools we still saw 

 a few Teal, and 

 when we were 

 almost out, a 

 Black Tern flew 

 over our heads. 

 It was dusk when 

 we got back to 

 the college, and 

 after a good sup- 

 per, we spent a 

 large part of the night in taking care of 

 the specimens we had obtained during the 

 afternoon. 



May 1 31. — Monday morning, when we 

 first opened our eyes to it at four-thirty a. 

 m. , was one-of those cold days that we are so 

 apt to get now and then in May. We had 

 made all preparations the night before, so 

 at five o'clock were off. We did not notice 

 the cold so much till we got out where the 

 west wind' struck us full force, then we 

 wished we were more warmly clothed; 

 but the worst of it was when we stepped 

 into the water — it makes me shiver now 



Nest of 



(Photo by T. L. Hankinson.) 



