DIVING BIRDS 



5. Mexican Grebe. Coli/mbus 

 domin icns hrachyptcrus. 



Range. — Southern Texas and Lower Cali- 

 fornia soutliward to South America, breed- 

 ing throughout its range. 



The Least Grebe is by far the smallest of 

 the Grebes in this country, being but 10 in. 

 in length; it can not be mistaken for any 

 other, the Eared Grebe being the only spe- 

 cies of this family found in the same locali- 

 ties during the summer. These little Grebes 

 nest very abundantly along the Rio Grande 



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Pied-billed Grebe 



Deep buff or ricli lirovvn 



Valley in Texas, the nesting season lasting 

 from the latter part of May until well into 

 December. 



Their nests are floating piles of grass and 

 weeds upon which they lay from three to 

 five chalky white eggs, which are always 

 discolored, sometimes to a deep chocolate 

 hue. These eggs average a great deal dark- 

 er in color than do any of the other Grebes. 

 In a series of fifty sets fully half were a 

 rich brown tint. Sine 1.40 x .95. 



6. Pied-billed Grebe. Podilymhus 

 podiceps. 

 Range. — Prom the British provinces 

 southward to Argentine Republic, breeding 

 locally throughout the northern portions of 

 its range. 



The Dabchick, as this bird is called, is the most evenly distributed bird 

 of this family. It is nowhere especially abundant, nor is it, except in a very 

 few localities, regarded as rare. Consequently it is the best known bird of 

 the species. They do not congregate in such large numbers as the other 

 Grebes during the nesting season, but one 

 or more pairs may be found in almost any 

 favorable locality. These birds render their 

 floating nest a little more substantial than 

 those of the preceding varieties by the ad- 

 dition of mud which they bring up from the 

 bottom of the pond; this addition also tends 

 to soil the eggs more, consequently the 

 eggs of this bird are, as a general rule, 

 browner than the other Grebes with the ex- 

 ception of the Least. The bird may always 



be known by the shape of its bill which is t^ > «* 



1-1 ii -J. ■ ^ J T ■ J., Deep buft 



higher than it is broad, and in the summer 



is white with a black band across the middle. The throat is also black at 



this season. They lay from five to nine eggs commencing about the middle 



of May. Size 1.70 x 1.18. 



15 



