42 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



History. 



Holbcell's Grebe seems to have very little history, except 

 in the way of synonymy. American ornithologists have little 

 to say of it. Wilson did not mention it ; Audubon notices it 

 briefly, and no one seems to have made or published any 

 exhaustive study of its habits or food. Nevertheless, in 

 migration it is not rare along our coasts ; it winters here in 

 small numbers, and sometimes visits the small fresh-water 

 lakes and streams of the interior. Furthermore, it is one of 

 the few species commonly hunted which does not appear to 

 have decreased much in Massachusetts within a lifetime. 

 This is possibly due to the fact that it is difficult to shoot 

 while on or in the water. Possibly no other Grebe can escape 

 a charge of shot at such close range as can this species. I 

 believe that the bird was formerly much more common than 

 now in the smaller fresh-water ponds, but that through the 

 instinct of self-preservation it has learned to forsake them for 

 the comparative safety to be found in larger bodies of water. 

 Most of the individuals of this species seen here are believed 

 to be young birds, but occasionally an adult may be seen in 

 breeding plumage in the month of May. 



It is not uncommon on the Great Lakes and other large 

 fresh- water lakes. In winter, when these are suddenly frozen, 

 this Grebe is sometimes captured on the ground, ice or snow, 

 where it has fallen exhausted in its attempts to reach unfrozen 

 water. It is a bird of the open water, avoiding such shallow 

 and weedy waters as are frequented by the Pied-billed Grebe. 



Holbcell's Grebe apparently migrates over the greater part 

 of the United States and Canada, and it is surprising that so 

 little seems to be known of its habits and life history. 



Audubon states that it feeds on small fish fry, amphibious 

 reptiles, insects and vegetables. Dr. Warren found sand, 

 blades of grass, small roots and feathers in the stomachs of 

 two birds of this species. Knight states that as far as can be 

 ascertained its food along the coast of Maine consists of small 

 fish and surface-swimming crustaceans. In inland regions 

 tadpoles and fish are reported as a part of the bill of fare. 



