1920 J Wetmore, Birds of Lake Burford, N. Mex. Zot 



rapidly with her feet. After a few minutes four young swam out from the 

 shelter of the rushes and joined her, calling with loud whistled notes. 

 She swam slowly away followed by the young who one by one succeeded 

 in clambering onto her back beneath her wing feathers so that soon she 

 was carrying all four. She did not seem to realize this however as several 

 times she rose and shook herself throwing them all into the water again, 

 when they climbed back as rapidly as possible. Finally she dived once 

 carrying the young with her, and then again, leaving them on the sur- 

 face. The young were able to swim rapidly with the head extended and 

 the base of the neck and forepart of the body entirely submerged in the 

 prostrate attitude common to young grebes. They dived when pursued, 

 and swam away under water, or hanging suspended five or six inches be- 

 low the surface, watched me intently. One or two soon became tired, 

 and, attracted by the moving boat, swam over and attempted to clamber 

 up the side. One in diving became entangled in algae and had to rise to 

 the surface where it remained helpless. All were able to stay beneath 

 the water for considerable periods but were captured without difficulty. 

 On land they progressed by a series of leaps made with both feet together 

 and wings extended, at each jump falling forward on the breast. The 

 female disappeared after leaving her young, while the male remained in 

 the rushes calling at intervals while I examined them. 



These grebes at times were very pugnacious toward the smaller Eared 

 Grebes, driving them about and diving to bite at their feet. At times 

 they were seen in pursuit of Coots and Ruddy Ducks. 



3. Larus delawarensis Orel. Ring-billed Gull. Immature gulls 

 of this species were seen on May 24 and 30, and June 5, 6, 7, 14 and 17. 

 One or two were probably present on the western side of the lake during 

 the entire period as the birds were seen there on the occasion of every 

 visit. There was no indication that they were breeding or intending to 

 breed. 



4. Larus franklini Richardson. Franklin's Gull. — Fairly com- 

 mon in migration. Two adult birds in full plumage were seen on the 

 western shore of the lake on June 6. On the morning of June 11, fifteen 

 or twenty were scattered about at daylight, resting on the lake in 

 front of the cabin. All were in immature plumage but were molting into 

 adult dress. One was taken. On June 13, about twenty more were circling 

 about low over the water so that at first they were taken for terns. On 

 the following day a flock numbering thirty or more in full adult plumage 

 appeared and remained until June 16. They were wild and would not 

 permit near approach. In the evenings they spent much time in aerial 

 evolutions that were beautiful to watch. They worked upward in spirals, 

 alternately flapping and soaring, maintaining a close formation until 

 suddenly all set their wings and rushed downward for several hundred 

 feet making a great roaring noise. Rising again they often separated 

 into three or four smaller flocks that alternately joined and separated, 



