WATERFOWL IN NEBRASKA. 19 
Practically all are without outlets, though only a few, such as Alkali 
Lake, about 6 miles east of Moffitt, are more or less alkaline. In 
general character they are typical sandhill lakes. Some, like Rush 
Lake, which has been mostly drained, Ed Eldred Lake, and Reno 
Lake, are largely covered with vegetation and, having little open 
water, are scarcely more than marshes. Others, like Alkali Lake, have 
practically no marsh, but sandy or marshy shores ; yet many of the 
lakes even of this character possess some area of marsh. A few, like 
Beaver Lake and Old Lady Lake, with largely grassy or sandy 
shores, lie almost entirely surrounded by rather steep sandhills. Such 
lakes are not very attractive to waterfowl, particularly in summer. 
Swan Lake, which is a noted duck-hunting ground, particularly in 
the fall, is probably the best-known lake of this region. It is a 
crooked lake of not more than half a mile or a mile in greatest 
breadth and consists really of two lakes connected by a narrow 
passage. It drains eastward through a small lake called Jones Lake, 
and has comparatively little good marsh except in its eastern and 
western portions and along its sluggish outlet. It is, however, ap- 
parently a fairly good feeding and breeding ground for ducks in 
summer. Bean Lake, on which is Orlando, is one of the larger lakes 
of the region, as well as one of the best for ducks, and has a good 
fringe of marsh around a considerable portion of its shore. The 
Hague Lakes have been apparently made permanent by the drain- 
ing into them of the water from Rush Lake, and while they have not 
extensive areas of marsh, are good places for ducks, even in the sum- 
mer. Many of the small lakes, like Crosser Lake, Charlie Lake, and 
Harrison Lake, are excellent breeding grounds for waterfowl, espe- 
cially during wet seasons, for they have a good fringe of marsh vege- 
tation. This whole area, and particularly its southern portions, is 
visited in autumn by ducks in countless numbers and is a renowned 
hunting ground. 
Water birds are fairly numerous in summer throughout this group 
of lakes, and consist of much the same species that frequent the other 
sandhill waters. The only species of common occurrence not noted 
elsewhere in the sandhills is the American avocet, which was found 
at the Hague Lakes, at Wild Goose Lake, Young Lake, Ed Eldred 
Lake, Swan Lake, Jones Lake, and Alkali Lake on June 21 ; and near 
Trainor Lake, near the Peterson Lakes, and at Phalarope Lake on 
June 22. The most numerous species here, during summer, in the 
order of abundance, are the American coot, redhead, American eared 
grebe,. shoveller, blue- winged teal, gadwall, Wilson phalarope, black 
tern, ruddy duck, pintail, and killdeer. Others that are present in 
much fewer numbers but fairly well distributed are the mallard, 
American avocet, and black-crowned night heron. 
