294 VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY 



feet and beats of the half -opened wings, they flew rather than 

 swam; see them dart out the arrow-like bill, transfix an unlucky 

 fish, and lightly rise to the surface again." 



Loons are almost as efficient as flyers as they are as divers and 

 swimmers; in this respect they are much more generalized than are 

 the penguins. 



The grebes are somewhat more like penguins than are the loons, 

 though they too are good flyers. They are much smaller than loons 

 and have a much wider distribution, being practically cosmopolitan 

 in their range. The European little grebe, or "dabchick," is an in- 

 teresting little fellow about nine inches in length. It has attracted a 

 good deal of attention on account of its unique habit of taking its 

 young one under its wing when diving into the water to escape from 

 its enemies on the land or in the air. The American Eared Grebe 

 is characterized by the presence of conspicuous tufts of feathers on 

 the sides of its head that look like ears. The great crested grebe and 

 the pied-billed grebe, which is an American dabchick, are two other 

 well-known species. 



THE PETRELS AND ALBATROSSES (PROCELLARIIFORMES) 



These sea birds are characterized by powers of flight more marked 

 than any other group. Because of their ability to travel great dis- 

 tances with the greatest ease they have attained a world-wide dis- 

 tribution. 



The petrels are birds of moderate size, with extremely long, narrow 

 wings and hooked bill. They soar about over the waves and dive 

 into the sea after fish, their main food. The stormy petrel is consid- 

 ered by mariners as a prophet of rough weather when it hovers 

 about ships at sea. 



The albatross (Fig. 156, C), is one of the largest of flying birds, 

 considerably larger than a goose. The following vivid word picture 

 of Professor Hutton will serve to acquaint the reader with one of our 

 noblest birds: 



"With outstretched, motionless wings he sails over the surface 

 of the sea, now rising high in the air, now with a bold sweep, and 

 wings inclined at an angle with the horizon, descending until the 

 tip of the lower one all but touches the crests of the waves as he 

 skims over them. Suddenly he sees something floating on the 

 water and prepares to alight; but how changed he now is from the 



