254 BIRDS IN THEIR RELATIONS TO MAN. 



now and then a blade of grass or a few seeds, constitute their 

 usual diet. Inasmuch as they are unable to travel on land 

 with any ease, owing to the rearward position of their legs, 

 only such insects as belong to the water or accidentally fall 

 into it are eaten. Of the four varieties common to the eastern 

 half of the United States, the little Dabchick, or Pied-billed 

 Grebe, is perhaps the best known. Its bill is shorter and 

 thicker than the bills of other kinds, and it may readily be 

 guessed that its food is not so strictly of an animal nature. 

 A single stomach examined by us contained the broken wing- 

 covers of many beetles, a few feathers, evidently from its own 

 breast, and considerable sand. The other three species have 

 spear-like bills and have practically identical food habits. 

 They are the Red-necked Grebe, the Horned Grebe, and the 

 Eared Grebe. The first two are found at large throughout 

 the country. The eared grebe belongs west of the Mississippi 

 River. Of two stomachs of the last named opened by Pro- 

 fessor Aughey, of Nebraska, one contained nine locusts, some 

 grass, a few seeds, and the remains of crawfish ; while the 

 other had five grasshoppers, a few other insects, fish, and 

 crawfish. None of the grebes are much esteemed as food, 

 being rather coarse and rank-flavored. 



Both loons and grebes are levied upon to satisfy the 

 demands of fashion, the breast portions of their skins being 

 prized by milliners. 



