Bird Life of North Dakota i i 



List of Species 



1. Aichmorphorus occidcutoUs (Lawrence). Western Grebe. 



Davie, 1898, p. i ; a large colony (about 200 nests) breeding at Devils Lake the 

 first of June. Judd, iqi", p. 5; a common breeder at Freshwater Lake, Ramsey 

 County. Bailey, 1918. p. 17.I; fifty-two at one time on Creel Bay, Devils Lake.- Bent, 

 1919, pp. 8-9; east central North Dakota, Devils Lake region: egg dates, forty-six 

 records, May 18 to July 9. 



A specimen in the Museum of Zoology Collection was taken at Sweet- 

 water Lake, Ramsey County, July 21, 1900, by Charles L. Cass, and a set 

 of four eggs was taken there by him, May 23. 1900. Another set of four 

 was taken at the lake by E. S. Bryant, May 30, 1906. 



This species still breeds in many of the marshy lakes and pond.^. At 

 Devils Lake several were seen July 15, 1920, and also in May, 192 1, 



2. Colymhus holhocUi (Reinhardt). Holboell's Grebe. 



JuPD, 1917, p. 5 ; a common migrant in the prairie region, breeding in po:ifIs and 

 lakes of the Turtle Mountains. 



Skins of an adult male, female, and five juvenile birds in the Museum of 

 Zoology Collection were taken at Sweetwater Lake, Ramsey County, June 

 13, 1900, by Charles L. Cass. The Oological Collection contains a set of 

 six eggs, taken there May 23, 1900. The writer saw a pair with- downy 

 young at Sweetwater Lake, July 18, 1920; others at Stump Lake, July 24; 

 at Lake Upsilon, Turtle Mountains, August 2, and several at Devils Lake, 

 August 12. In late June, 192 1, many pairs with young were seen in ponds 

 along the Northern Pacific Railroad, and in July along the Great Northern 

 Railroad. 



The grebes are of little economic importance, since they live on fish and 

 aquatic insects and plants to such a large extent that their flesh is not good 

 for food. 



3. Colymhus auritus Linnseus. Horned Grebe. 



CouES, 1878, p. 657; the horned grebe was found breeding in the Red River 

 region : on the 20th of June, 1873, a set of four newly-laid eggs was taken from one 

 of the prairie sloughs near Pembina : newly-hatched young were in ponds about the 

 base of Turtle Mountains the latter part of July. Judd, 1917, p. 5; common,, migrant; 

 nesting in Turtle Mountains. Bent, igig. p. 27; qo^^ dates, fourteen records, April 6 

 to July 7. 



Several specimens were noted in the Turtle Mountains, July 30, 1920, 

 and several were seen during July and August at Devils Lake. The species 

 was seen for the first time at Devils Lake in 1921 on May 3. 



4. Colymhus mgricoUis californicus (Heermann). Eared Grebe. 



Baird, 1858, p. 897; records specimens taken September 17, 1856, at Fort Berthold. 

 IIavden, 1863, p. 176; qu'te rare: two ST^ciirens -oUe'tcd in '8=6 Kotw<^e" Fnrt 

 Union and Fort' Berthold. CouES, 1878, p. 657 ; breeding abundantlyi in, Turtle Moun- 

 tains. Judd, 1917, p. 5: abundant summer resident: breedinn- in col^nie^ in -tII ivinds 

 of the prairie region that retain water all summer: one colony contained forty odd 

 nests in a small patch of grass about one rod wide by a few rods long. Bent, 1919, 



