THE WESTERN GREBE. 



88i 



maimler were badly injured. Two days later it was comical to note the 

 confusion of ownership which necessity's law had brought about. Scarce 

 a well-made nest but contained eggs of homeless neighbors. Two held seven, 

 and one. eight, from half as many contributors. In most cases these eggs 

 were either abandoned outright b}- the one imposed upon, or else co\'ered 

 over by a new nest hastily improvised. 



After noting the natural fate of unclaimed eggs, I am less reluctant 

 to confess that Grebe eggs formed an important article of my solitary 

 diet during a five days' halt in the vicinity. Of course, only fresh eggs, 

 one from a nest, or waifs, were taken. In fla\"or they are really deli- 



Photo by the Author. 



YOUNX WESTEKX GREBE. 



cious, superior, I believe, to hens' eggs, and especially because of the 

 delicacy of the albumen, which does not cook white, Init remains semi- 

 transparent. 



Upon another occasion in ni)- zeal to obtain a few fresh eggs for culi- 

 nary purposes, I sampled several nests at the rate of one each. But when 

 one of the eggs shouted lustily in remonstrance (the tin can affording a 

 fine sounding board for the display of this precocious warbler's powers), 

 I desisted and made amends by bestowing the entire collection upon the 

 nearest nest. Later, under the guidance of a clamorous flock of terns, 

 who were hovering over him and diving down inquisitively, we came upon 

 a lost chick. He was a curious little fellow of a stone-gray color, darkest 



