BIRDS HUNTED FOR FOOD OR SPORT. 45 



Langdon is quoted by Dawson as stating that the young of 

 this species, which he removed from the egg and phiced in the 

 water, immediately swam and attempted to dive.^ 



I have never seen this Grebe use its wings for propulsion 

 beneath the surface, but Mr. C. W. Vibert of South Windsor, 

 Conn., informs me that one which he kept alive for a time 

 often raised its wings slightly when swimming under water. 

 When driven into the ponds by storms, Grebes as well as 

 Ducks show signs of weariness from their struggle with the 

 sea, and are often so sleepy in the daytime that they will 

 sleep on the water with the head drawn back and the bill 

 usually thrust into the feathers of the right breast or shoulder. 

 In this position a bird will often keep its place, head to the 

 wind, or whirl about by paddling automatically with both feet 

 or with one alone. 



The food of the Horned Grebes, while on salt water, ap- 

 pears to be composed very largely of aninuil matter, shrimps, 

 crustaceans, small fish and fish fry, but when on fresh water 

 thej^ appear to feed to a great extent on vegetable matter. 

 They also take aquatic and terrestrial insects, leeches, small 

 frogs, tadpoles and water lizards. Seeds and various portions 

 of grasses and water plants are eaten ; also, all Grebes appear 

 to eat feathers, either from their own breasts or from birds of 

 other species. These are found in their stomachs, particularly 

 in spring. 



1 Dawson, William Leon, and Jones, Lynde: Birds of Ohio, 1903, p. 631. 



