412 



CITIZEN BIRD 



'' Grebes^ not grubs," laughed the Doctor. "Loons 

 and Grebes are swimming birds, like Ducks or Gulls, 

 but both belong to quite a different order from any 

 of the others and each of them belongs to a family of 

 its own. They can barely move at all on land, and 

 spend all their lives on the water, excepting in the 

 nesting season, when they make curious floating nests 

 of dead herbage in reedy marshes. Their legs are 

 placed in such a backward position that they can sit 

 upright in the water and swim as if they were walking, 

 only keeping the tip of the bill above the surface." 



" How can they get away if any one hunts them ? " 

 asked Rap. 



" They can dive at the flash of a gun and swim long 

 distances under water. Our familiar Fied-billed Grebe 

 or Dabchick disappears so suddenly, that 'Water Witch' 

 is one of its common names." 



" What a lot of birds there are to watch for tliis fall ! " 

 said Nat very anxiously. " I only 

 wish I knew how much more 

 time w^e shall have before father 

 and mother come for us." 



Loon 



