LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAJiT DIVING BIRDS. 21 



nests of this species that season, although they are not uncommon 

 in that region. The horned grebe is nowhere abundant, but it is 

 widely and evenly distributed all through the northern prairie re- 

 gions. In Saskatchewan I recorded it as uncommon in 1905 and 

 rare in 1906, though we found a few nests each season. I found 

 two nests on June 7, 1905, in the Crane Lake slough within a short 

 distance of the western grebe colony. The first nest was well con- 

 cealed in the middle of a clump of tall reeds {/Scirpits lacustris) and 

 was floating in water about knee-deep. It was made of wet rotten 

 reeds and rubbish and measured 10 inches in diameter outside and 

 7 inches inside ; it contained five eggs, which were only about 2 inches 

 above the water. The second nest Avas in a more open situation but 

 was similarly constructed; it contained nine eggs and was some- 

 what larger than the first nest, measuring 13 by 12 inches in outside 

 diameter. 



In the Magdalen Islands, in 1901. we found a few pairs of horned 

 grebes nesting in the small ponds near East Point, where, even as 

 late as June 22, the sets were incomplete or perfectly fresh. A nest, 

 found wth one Q,gg in it on the 18th, now held three fresh eggs; 

 probably more would have been laid as the eggs were covered 

 and the bird was not incubating; this would seem to indicate that an 

 Qgg is laid every other day. The nest was a floating mass of dead 

 and green flags, mostly the latter, mixed with soft aquatic mosses and 

 algae ; I could pass my hands completely under it and lift it without 

 materially disturbing its floating capacity; it was partially secured 

 from drifting by being anchored to the dead stalks of a scanty, open 

 growth of flags {Typha latifolia)^ in water about 18 inches deep. 

 It was in perfectly plain sight, and even conspicuous at a long dis- 

 tance, as were all of the nests of this species in that locality, for the 

 broken-down flags of last year's growth, offered little concealment; 

 later in the season the new growth of flags would probably have 

 hidden it. This nest measured 14 inches in outside diameter, but the 

 inner cavity was only about 4 inches in diameter. The grebes were 

 very tame and swam slowly away, watching us intently within gun- 

 shot range. I have always found this species very bold and con- 

 spicuous, in marked contrast to the pied-billed grebe, which is very 

 seldom seen near its nest. I was much impressed with the striking 

 beauty of a handsome male that we shot; it had the most beautiful 

 eye that I have ever seen in any bird, brilliant scarlet, finely veined 

 and penciled, with an irregular ring of yellow around the pupil, 

 gleaming like fire in its setting of soft velvety plumage. 



The nests are made of whatever soft vegetable substances are 

 easily available, mixed with mud, and are usually more conspicuous 

 than those of the pied-billed grebe. The grebes themselves are gen- 

 erally much more in evidence than the dabchicks, making identifi- 



