40 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



bare; the head in most cases ruffled or crested, in the breed- 

 ing season at least; and the neck long. The plumage is com- 

 pact, smooth and rather hairlike, and of such a texture that 

 when well dressed by the bird it is absolutely waterproof, and 

 therefore Grebes, though constantly diving, never get wet. 

 The wings are short and concave; the tail is a mere downy 

 tuft, entirely without quill feathers; the legs are buried be- 

 neath the skin and feathers of the body, and the tarsi (com- 

 monly called legs, but which are in reality those parts of the 

 foot extending from the heel to the junction of the toes) are 

 very far back, and flattened so as to present the least possible 

 resistance in swimming. The toes are 

 flattened and are further widened with 

 broad lobes, and connected at the base by 

 webs (Fig. 1); the nails are short and 

 rounded, something like human finger 

 nails. The whole foot forms a hard, scaly, 

 flattened compound paddle, which, on 

 the back stroke, spreads to push against 

 the water, and automatically turns or 



Fig. 1. — Foot of Grebe. ^^ n i jj t i • 



leathers, so as to present little resist- 

 ance to the water on the return stroke. 



The feet and legs are so far back and so ill suited for walk- 

 ing that the Grebe, when on land, merely rests on its breast, 

 or stands upright and can hardly walk at all. If hurried it 

 flounders along on its breast, using wings and feet in an im- 

 perfect imitation of a tortoise. The feet are principally used 

 in swimming, and they are among the most perfect and pow- 

 erfully designed swimming feet of vertebrate animals. When 

 a Grebe is held in the hand its feet will sometimes move so 

 rapidlj^ as to give them a hazy appearance, like the wings of a 

 humming bird in motion. In flight, the feet are carried well 

 out behind, where they appear to be utilized as rudders, serv- 

 ing the same purpose, then, that the tail serves on many other 

 birds. The body of the Grebe is wide, boat-shaped and quite 

 as much flattened as that of most other swimming birds. 



Grebes may be distinguished from Ducks on the water by 

 the sharp or pointed bill, the narrow head and neck, and the 

 relative length of the neck when stretched. 



