1^2 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 88 



ground, the action being delayed until the resting place is 

 reached. In one instance, however, a bird was seen to bathe 

 Avhile coming from its feeding ground. 



Bathing is a very leisurely process at first, being merely a 

 dipping of the head under water, but soon increases in vigor, 

 being accompanied by much flapping of M'iugs and splashing 

 of water, followed in all instances by preening, whether or 

 not a preliminary preen was undergone before bathing com- 

 menced. In only one instance was bathing so vigorous as to 

 carry the bird completely under the surface. 



DRINKING. 



Drinking takes place but seldom, only two instances having 

 been noted. The bird seen from December 14 to December 

 28, 1913, was seen to drink twice in rapid succession about 

 40 minutes after feeding, and another very hungry bird seen 

 March 13, 1914, was correspondingly thirsty, drinking again 

 and again between dives, often several times in succession. 

 Occasionally, however, the bill was merely dipped in the 

 water, the head not being thrown back nor the swallowing 

 reflex taking place afterward. Probabl}^ in most cases enough 

 water is taken in with the food. 



PREENING. 



Preening alwaA^s takes place after bathing, and occasionally 

 before, as I have said, and also at various intervals through- 

 out the day. The belly feathers are not given the same 

 attention that the other feathers are. In one instance the 

 bird would not preen these feathers until after it had climbed 

 out on a piling, and in another case the bird stood on its tail 

 in the water in the manner cited by IMillais. These were the 

 only instances noted, while the feathers of the back and sides 

 undergo a thorough preening continuously. 



PERCHING. 



While the birds never come out on the shore, keeping 

 strictly to the water, a bit of piling stuck in the bottom of 



