18 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN DIVING BIRDS 



flocks. In its winter quarters on the coast of Washington Mr. W. L. 

 Dawson (1909) associates this species with the "characteristic bird 

 population which stretches along at just a little more than gunshot 

 range from shore," when he finds it "almost invariably numbered 

 with this shifting, distrustful company of sea fowl, pigeon guille- 

 mots, buffleheads, mergansers, and scoters." 



Winter. All through the fall, winter, and spring these grebes are 

 fairly common on the New England coast, where they may be seen 

 riding the waves just off shore, feeding in the shoals just beyond the 

 breakers, in company with loons, horned grebes, golden-eyes, scoters, 

 and red-breasted mergansers. It is interesting to watch them with a 

 powerful glass as they dive through the breakers, where their move- 

 ments can sometimes be plainly seen through the face of an incom- 

 ing wave. 



As HolbcelPs grebe is inclined to winter somewhat in large inland 

 lakes, it is sometimes caught by the freezing of lakes which are 

 usually open. Mr. Alvin R. Cahn (1912) has published the follow- 

 ing account of his experience with it on Cayuga Lake, New York, 

 in February, 1912: 



The freezing of Cayuga Lake offered a rare opportunity for a study of this 

 most interesting and apparently little known bird. Until the present time, 

 the HolboelTs grebe has been considered only a rare visitant at the southern end 

 of the lake, one or two being recorded almost every winter. It has proved, 

 however, to be the predominant grebe during this winter, 28 individuals having 

 been taken. The reason of its unprecedented abundance here is undoubtedly 

 to be found in the six weeks of extremely cold weather, and the consequent 

 closure of waters in other regions. The sudden closing of the lake's surface in 

 one night left these birds in an absolutely helpless condition, since open water 

 is a necessity for taking flight in this group of birds, Holboell's grebe being no 

 exception to the rule. As a result, 11 beautiful specimens were picked up alive 

 from the ice in perfectly good physical condition. If approached while sitting 

 on the ice, these birds made no attempt to escape. They would strike at the 

 outstretched hand, and would emit calls very loonlike in general quality. Once 

 the bird alights upon the ice, it is unable to take flight, and must await starva- 

 tion or other tragic end. At best, all it can do is to flap its wings and possibly 

 scrape along over the ice a few feet. The position of the legs, together with the 

 smooth surface of the ice, rendered these efforts at locomotion entirely futile. 



A bird (referred to above) was caught on the ice near Taunton, 

 Massachusetts, on February 14, 1913; it would undoubtedly have 

 starved to death, as it was unable to rise off the ice. On December 

 27, 1909, a bird was brought to me which was caught in a yard in 

 the city of Taunton, having been bewildered by a thick snowstorm 

 and become exhausted. There are numerous other similar records. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Breeding range. Northern North America and northeastern 

 Asia. East to northern Ungava and Hudson Strait. South to 



