PIED-BILLED DOBCHICK. 361 



the miller's sons, who, after chasing it fully an hour, could not even drive 

 it on shore. Their father, however, who was as anxious as themselves to 

 see the curious creature, drained the pond, when the little thing wasseen 

 crawling over the mud in a manner not imlike that of a turtle. It was 

 now easily caught,"as it was not able to rise on wing, the species, it seems, 

 being incapable of springing from the ground, and was afterwards given 

 to my young friend, who presented it beautifully prepared to me. 



While I was at Philadelphia, my learned and staunch friend Dr 

 Richard Harlan, received two Pied-billed Grebes alive, which had been 

 caught in a fishing-net on Brandy wine Creek. We placed them in a large 

 tub of water, where we could see all their subaqueous movements. They 

 swam round the sides of the tub in the manner of the Puffin, moving 

 their wings in accordance with their feet, and continued so a much longer 

 time than one could suppose it possible for them to remain under water, 

 coming up to breathe, and plunging again with astonishing celerity. 

 When placed on the carpet, they ran awkwardly half erect, for a distance 

 of a few feet, tumbled over, and scrambled along with the aid of their 

 wings. Nothing could induce them to eat, and after a day or two of cap- 

 tivity, the little creatures were taken to the Delaware, and set at liberty. 



This bird retires to rest on the floating beds of rushes met with in ponds, 

 or on the edges of the shores ; and in such places you may see it sitting up- 

 right, and dressing its plumage in the sunshine. They are extremely un- 

 willing to rise on wing, unless during their migrations, or when chasing 

 each other at the pairing season, which commences in March, when they 

 manifest a good deal of pugnacity. On such occasions, the males fly, dive, 

 and rise again on wing, in the manner of the Foolish Guillemot. While 

 travelling, they pass rapidly through the air, at times at a considerable ele- 

 vation, when the movements of their wings produce a sound like that of a 

 hawk stooping on its prey. They are seldom found in parties of more 

 than six or seven. The idea of their migrating by water is quite absui'd. 

 How long would it take a Dbbchick to swim from the mouths of the Mis- 

 sissippi to the head waters of the Ohio ; and when arrived there, after 

 six or seven weeks of constant paddling, how is he to proceed farther ? 

 Yet it is well known that they breed farther north, and are general on 

 the southern waters early in October. 



The food of the Pied-billed Dobchick consists of small fry, plants, seeds, 

 aquatic insects, and snails ; along with which they swallow gravel. On 

 opening several individuals, in different parts of the Union, I observed in 



