COUES ON BIRDS OF DAKOTA AND MONTANA. 657 



PODICEPS AURITUS CALIFORNICUS, {Heerm.) Coues. 



American Eared Grebe. 



I was much interested to find this species (not common in collections, 

 and until recently sui)posed to be exclusively Western) breeding abun- 

 dantly on Turtle Mountain, one of the easternmost localities where it has 

 been observed. Toward the latter part of July and during the first two 

 weeks of August, the young, still unable to fly, and in charge of the 

 parents, were observed at the locality mentioned, and at points along 

 the Mouse Eiver. Some old birds in full breeding- dress were secured. 

 With these the change begins in August, but traces persist for several 

 weeks. I noticed nothing peculiar in the habits of the species. 



List of specimens. 



PODICEPS COENUTUS, Gm. 



Horned Grebe. 



Like the last species, the Hcrued Grebe was found breeding in the 

 Red River region. On the 20th of June, 1873, I took a set of four 

 newly laid eggs from one of the prairie sloughs near Pembina. They 

 were deposited on a matted bed of decaying reeds soaking in the water. 

 Later in the same season, during the latter part of July, newly hatched 

 young were observed swimming on the pools about the base of Turtle 

 Mountain. In this locality, and elsewhere, in August and September, 

 the two species were generally found together; and both were very 

 abundant. 



Bull. iv. No. 3 8 



