THE PRAIRIES 



331 



Yellow-headed Blackbird Feeding Young 



The Swan Grebe's voice is a loud, double-toned, whistled 

 c-r-r-cc-cr-r-r-ee, which can be heard distinctly when the 

 bird is beyond reach of the eye, on the open waters of the 

 lake, and even a poor imitation of this far-reaching call 

 brings the lakes of prairie or plain more clearly before me 

 than the memory of the note of any other of their bird in- 

 habitants. 



The average number of eggs is four. The young Grebe 

 can swim the moment it leaves the egg but at this early age 

 it will crawl into one 's hand rather than remain in the wa- 

 ter. Two or three hours later, however, when the plumage 

 has dried, it voluntarily leaves the nest to accompany the 

 parents, whose backs now form its resting place. Should 

 the parent dive while the young bird is sitting on its back, 

 the little fellow is apt to lose his place, then he strikes out 

 for himself ; swimming and diving readily. But when the 



