THE WESTERN GREBE. 879 



frightened ivuni the water, not into it, the birds will scatter witliDUt re- 

 gard to their fellows. 



One sees evidence of cnmmunit\- feeling, however, in the case of small 

 companies, for tlie\- will moxe in close order, di\ing and resting almost 

 simultaneouslv, while one bird or another assumes the duty of watchman, 

 remaining upon the surface and ])ad<lling along slowh- in the direction taken 

 by the submerged iiock. 



In di\'ing tlie Grebe's head describes a loop with lightning rapidil)' and 

 the body springs forward as tho to accept a challenge from its \-anishing 

 leader. Considerable depths are visited and the bird is b\- preference a fisher 

 of the channels, lea\'ing the shallows to its smaller kinfolk. 



If surprised at close (juarters the Grebe almost in\ariably seeks to 

 escape by di\'ing, but if there is suflicient leeway, as at the approach of a 

 steamer, it will take to wing, not without manifest exertion. .A-wing it 

 is a singular-looking creature. The legs sticking out behind and inclined 

 upward, rather than downward, more than counterljalance the unusually 

 long neck, so that the bird looks alwa\-s upon the point of tumbling head 

 foremost. The wings are moved quite rapidl}'. and the bird has no a])parent 

 contnjl o\'er its speed. sa\-e that it tips up S()mewdiat before alighting. Even 

 so, it sirikes the water with ;i crash, with its feet spread awkwarcUy behind 

 at di\-erging angles. 



But even if he is so awkward in gait, the Grebe experiences no dit'hculty 

 in making extended flights, as his presence in some shallow East-side lake 

 in Mav testifies. A colon\' of nesting grebes has a rare fascination for the 

 bird-man, for there is about it just that element of mystery which allures. 

 However populous the floating cit\' may I)e /rr ,s-r, the owners are pretty 

 careful to keep away while it is under re\iew. It is onl\- by stealth that 

 one can unravel the mysteries of grebe-town, and a week's study lea\'es one 

 far from satisfied. 



The requirements are an extensi\-e area of water plants, preferably 

 arums, but bulrushes will do; shallow water to match: and fishing privileges 

 in tlie open. The de])th of water in the lakes is likel}' to \ar\- from \-ear 

 to year, and the nesting ground may be shifted to correspond, but the nests 

 are usuallv jilaced in from two to ten feet of water. For their construc- 

 tion the l)irds secure fresh materials, using chiefl_\- the green stalks and the 

 root stalks of the arums, if in shallow water heaping the materials up from 

 the bottom until the mass rises sex'eral inches abo\'e the water; if in deep 

 water, forming a floating island loosel)- anchored to the surrounding vegeta- 

 tion. But in either case it is large enough and strong enough to supi)ort the 

 weight of the sitting bird abo\-e water. 



Here from three to fi\-e eggs are laid, of a delicate greenish blue color 

 when fresh, but soon fading and becoming discolored thru contact with 



