; THE PIED-BILLED GREBE. 
632 
to whitish of throat; neck, fore-breast, and sides strongly tinged with brownish 
ochraceous; belly dingy white, unmottled; bill without black band. Jmmature: 
Like adult in winter, but sides of head with more or less distinct stripes of brown. 
Iength 12.00-15.00 (304.8-381.); wing 5.10 (129.5); bill .80 (20.3); along 
gape 1.25 (31.8) ; depth at nostril .43 (10.9) ; tarsus 1.55 (39.4). 
Recognition Marks.—Teal size; bill short and stout, its black band dis- 
tinctive during breeding season, its shape sufficiently so at other times; head 
and neck brownish with dull whitish throat in winter plumage. 
Nest, a floating or half-submerged mound of decayed vegetation in open 
space of swamp water. Eggs, 4-8, dull white or pale greenish buff, usually more 
or less discolored by contact with water-soaked nest. Ay. size, 1.75 x 1.20 (44.5 
5 OHS Me 
General Range.—British Provinces southward to Brazil, Argentine Re- 
public, and Chili; the West Indies and Bermuda, breeding locally nearly through- 
out its range. 
Range in Ohio.—Common migrant. Locally resident in summer. Occa- 
sionally resident in winter in open or half-open water. 
THE Water-witch is expert at diving and all that pertains to the trade. 
The skill and success with which it used to avoid at the flash of the muzzle- 
loading gun, has given rise to several vigorous and sulphurous sounding names, 
and a genuine belief in some quarters that the bird is in league with the Evil 
One. When a supposed “duck” is first blown to pieces by the discharge of 
the musket, and then bobs up serene and smiling a moment later, the only 
thing to do is to throw down the gun and take to the woods. But devil or no 
devil, smokeless powder is a little too quick for him, and for this reason alone 
the Grebe is becoming more scarce each year. 
Someties instead of diving ‘as quick as a flash, the bird, if it thinks 
itself unobserved and wishes to escape, will settle slowly into the water and 
disappear without leaving a ripple behind. Once under water the diver makes 
marvellous progress, apparently without assistance from the wings. And if it 1s 
undesirable to appear on exhibition again it requires only to thrust the tip of the 
bill to the nostrils above the surface of the water from time to time. Thinking 
to test their powers both of diving and flight, I once pursued a company of 
twenty-five Pied-bills about a two-acre opening in the ice of the Licking Res. 
ervoir. The birds would neither fly nor try to escape beneath the surrounding 
ice, preferring rather to play at hide and seek with me in the boat. Some came 
to the surface and got a single gulp of air, while others fearlessly presented a 
broad-side view, and others still paddled about with only the head sticking 
out of water. ‘They are said, however, to take to wing easily and to fly rapidly. 
On land they are unable to rise, and flounder about quite helplessly. 
The Grebe oftenest remains concealed by day, except during migrations 
and in winter, and for this reason is almost unknown to eye in its own breed- 
ing haunts. 
Dr. Langdon’s account of their breeding in the northern part of the state! 
is still the best extant, and I repeat a few paragraphs by permission: 
1 “Summer Birds of a Northern Ohio Marsh” by Frank W. Langdon. Journal of the Cincinnati Soc. of 
Nat. Hist. Vol. III., No. 3, October, 1880; p. 231. 
