GREAT GREBE 217 
wherever a little space is allowed them, dropping 
down to the ground, which reeked with blood and 
offal, greedily snatching up whatever morsels they 
could seize on, yet getting no stain or speck on their 
delicate dress of lily-white and ethereal blue. 
On the open pampas their curiosity and anger 
seem greatly excited at the appearance of a person 
on foot; no sooner has the Gull spied him than it 
sweeps toward him with a rapid flight, uttering loud, 
indignant screams that never fail to attract all of its 
fellows within hearing distance. These all pass and re- 
pass, hovering over the pedestrian’s head, screaming 
all the time as if highly incensed, and finally retire, 
joining their voices in a kind of chorus and waving 
their wings upwards in a slow, curious manner ; but 
often enough, when they are almost out of sight, they 
suddenly wheel about and hurry back screaming, 
with fresh zeal, to go through the whole pretty but 
annoying performance again. 
GREAT GREBE 
ZEchmophorus major 
Above blackish; occipital crest divided, bronzy black; wide bar 
across the wing white ; beneath white; chin dark ashy; neck, breast, 
and sides of belly (in adult) more or less red ; bill yellowish, feet dark ; 
length 21, wing 8 inches. 
Tuts Grebe is called in the vernacular Macas 
cornudo—the first word being the Indian generic 
name for the Grebes, while cornudo signifies horned, 
from the bird’s habit of erecting, when excited, the 
