DIVING BIRDS 



5. Mexican Grebe. Colymbus 



dominie n s b ra < ■ h 1/ p t e r u s . 



Range. — Southern Texas and Lower Cali- 

 fornia southward to South America, breed- 

 ing throughout its range. 



The Least Grebe is by tar 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 



u^ 



i 





!^S 



in < '■ 1 ■ ■ 



Pi. ■ ! rebe 



1 >eep buff or rich br< iwn 



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 arc 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. Si:;e 1.40 x .95. 



Podilymbus 



'). Pied-billed ( 1-rebe 



podiceps. 



Range. — From 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 

 mis family. It is nowhere especially abundant, nor is it, except ill a very 

 few localities, regarded as rare. Consequents it is the besl known bird of 

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

 Crebes during the nesting season, but one 

 or more pairs may be found in almost any 

 favorable locality. These birds render their /■%* 



floating nesl a little more substantial than 4.*>'* 



those of the preceding varieties by the ad /.\. 



dition of mud which they bring up from the flj 



bottom of the pond; this addition also tends 



to soil the eggs more, consequently the I fi^» 



of this bird are, as a general rule, 

 browner than the other Grebes with the • 



1 epl ion of the Least. The bird may always 

 be known by the shape of its bill which is 

 ler than it is broad, and in 1 he E thinner 

 is white with a black hand across the middle 



this season. They lay from Ave to nin< 

 of May. size 1.70 x 1.18. 



15 



r 



! 



I >i pp l.ufT 



The throat Is also black al 

 ommencing aboul the middle 



