886 THE HORNED GREBE. 
a panting bird. An instant gleam as of fins near the bird's beak tells you that 
another fish has gone to Grebe; but just how you cannot tell, for it was all so 
sudden. The diver pauses a moment to consider the danger of the kindly eyes 
that stare down at him, recalls that art is long and fish are fleeting, and is off 
again hot-foot to urge the merry chase under water. 
They are innocent, happy, little souls, these Hornies, and one is tempted 
to look upon them as children, especially if he is used to the grown-up West- 
erns. Once I stole upon a little company at early morn, as they rested after a 
long migration flight. Six of the dainty creatures 
were dancing before me on the gently ruffled surface 
of the water-works pond. They saw the bird- 
watcher plainly enough some thirty feet away, but 
accepted him as a part of bountiful nature and gave 
themselves to slumber. In sleeping they draw the 
head back and settle it between the shoulders, thrust- 
ing the bill down precisely to the right. Now and 
then one lifts its head and describes a wary circle of 
reconnaissance, but is soon reassured and resumes 
its slumbers. While taking these cat-naps in my 
presence they swim and whirl automatically and 
maintain their general position, as tho gifted with 
double consciousness. There are five males in the 
company with one female, and the white of their 
breasts and throats glistens purely in the morning 
sun, for it is autumn; and I steal away with a sense 
of privilege as tho I had seen fairies caught out of 
bounds. 
In the spring time one may inspect the wedding 
garments from no more romantic a position than the 
wharf again, before the northern bridal tour is un- 
dertaken. At such a time one rubs his eyes to see 
the transformation wrought upon our modest gray 
friends of autumn. Tawny, chestnut, chocolate, 
wine-red and shiny black are now in evidence, and 
the extraordinary ruff, or aureole, which surrounds the head, detracts ma- 
terially from the solemnity of the occasion. 
Photo by the Author, 
HORNED GREBE 
WINTER FLUMAGE 
tirds of this species take to wing readily with or without provocation, 
and altho they have the grebe habit of thrusting the legs out straight behind, 
they are not ungraceful flyers. The wing movement is quite rapid and the 
white wing-patches appear prominently in flight. 
It is not fair to call these birds gregarious and indeed they are usually 
quite independent, but common tastes make common cause and I have seen 
