Attitudes of Loons and Grebes. 4i7 



I studied it for attitudes ; but^ do all I would, it absolutely 

 refused to sit upright, or to assume anything approaching 

 the ' book ' attitude attributed to Loons and Grebes. Its 

 method of progression was by little jumps, both feet being 

 moved backward together, the breast never leaving the 

 ground. When at rest the body lay flat on the breast-bone, 

 and the bird seemed to have no idea of any other attitude 

 when on shore. I questioned, also, a man who had handled 

 another captive, and his specimen acted in the same way. 



" Now, I am unfamiliar with either Loons or Grebes on 

 land, and what I want to know is — Is the common upright 

 attitude given to these birds, both in pictures and mounted 

 specimens, incorrect and not assumed by them in life ? I 

 have always used the upright attitude in mounting (except- 

 ing for the one that would not assume it), and I would like 

 to know the facts in the matter, which I have no doubt you 

 can give me." 



In my answer to this, I stated that, so far as my own 

 observations were concerned, they agreed with what my 

 correspondent had noticed, and so well described in the 

 above letter. In my opinion it is the rare exception for 

 either a Loon or a Grebe, when out of the water and on 

 terra firma, to assume the erect attitude, as is the habit in 

 the case of the Penguins and the Auks. That they may do 

 so momentarily, upon certain occasions, there can liardly be 

 any question, and especially at such times when they desire 

 to agitate their plumage after a general preening, as we 

 frequently see Ducks and other wildfowl do ; but that 

 when on land they habitually stand erect, I believe to be 

 erroneous. Suggestion was made to Mr. Brimley that he 

 should take photographs of his specimens of living Loons 

 under as natural conditions as possible, and particularly 

 when the birds thought themselves unnoticed and were in 

 their normal positions of rest. An opportunity is offered here 

 to add facts of interest to a question that, to my knowledge, 

 has never yet been satisfactorily settled by ornithologists. 



Audubon, Avho was altogether too prone to figure his birds 

 in extravagant attitudes, often represented the Loons and 



