384 DIVERS. 



times, in the small freshwater lakes near the ocean. At a later 

 period they retire still farther, being very common in the Middle 

 and Southern States, where they are known, with other species, 

 by the name of Dippers and Water Witches. The Indians of 

 Hudson Bay give the Homed Grebe the name of Seekeep. 

 While here, they keep generally in the salt water, swimming 

 and diving with great agility and elegance, and these are almost 

 universally young birds, the old ones keeping probably more 

 inland in their migrations towards the South. In most of the 

 individuals which have fallen under my notice, the stomach, 

 like a pouch in form, has been generally swelled out with its 

 own feathers, apparently bent and masticated before swallowing ; 

 the birds had been feeding on minute eels and coleopterous 

 insects, and had, besides the matted feathers plucked from the 

 breast, a quantity of sand and gravel. The appetite of this 

 Grebe is, indeed, keen and little scrupulous, — for which, some- 

 times it pays a dear forfeit, as happened to an individual seen 

 by Mr. N. Wyeth, which had its bill clasped in the shell of a clam 

 in such a manner as to disable it both from flying and diving. 



This expert diver is a common bird throughout this eastern coun- 

 try, breeding from about latitude 45° to the higher fur countries, 

 and wintering from the Bay of Fundy to the Soujthern States. 



HOLBCELL'S GREBE. 



RED-NECKED GREBE. 

 COLYMBUS HOLBCELLII. 



Char. Upper parts dusky ; head and nape black; cheeks ashy; neck 

 rich chestnut ; wings varied with white ; under parts silvery white, varied 

 with gray. Length about 19 inches. 



Nest. On the border of a reedy pond or sluggish stream, fastened to 

 the rank herbage, — made of reeds and sedges. 



Eggs. 2-7 ; dull white, sometimes tinged with green, washed with 

 brown; average size 2.25 X 1.35. 



The Red-necked Grebe, like most of the other species, 

 retires to the hyperboreal regions of both continents to pass 



