Notes on a Pair of Holboell's Grebes 293 



The season for shooting Grouse in Manitoba begins on October 1, and lasts 

 for one month. It provides a bag limit of twenty birds a day, or one hundred 

 in a season. The Game Laws are, I believe, fairly well observed, though a 

 few people seem to think they can shoot Grouse at any time so long as they are 

 not found out, saying as an excuse for doing so, "If I don't shoot them, some- 

 body else will." Prairie fires during the nesting season must destroy hundreds 

 of nests every year, besides lessening the suitable nesting-sites. Since the rural 

 telephone lines have been erected, it is no uncommon occurrence to find Grouse 

 that have been killed by striking the wires. 



A few years ago I often saw the Goshawk chasing the Grouse, but I have not 

 noticed any of these Hawks the last few winters. I particularly remember 

 on one bright, still, frosty morning, hearing a peculiar noise almost like a piece 

 of rag being ripped in half. Looking up, I saw the cause; five Grouse were 

 flying like bullets overhead, followed at a distance of fifty yards by a large 

 Goshawk. Just as they passed me, one of the Grouse darted to the ground and 

 hid in some bushes, while the others kept straight on followed closely by the 

 Hawk. The Grouse did not seem to gain on the Hawk, though the latter 

 seemed to be flying quite leisurely, while the Grouse appeared to be going at 

 top speed. 



At night the Grouse burrow under the snow, and I have often been startled 

 by their sudden exit when I must have been almost stepping on them. Per- 

 haps the Coyotes may profit by this habit the Grouse have of sleeping in the 

 snow; but the birds must be well protected from the cold, and also from 

 Horned Owls, so the snow-blanket has its advantages as well as drawbacks. 



Notes on a Pair of Holboell's Grebes 



By MAUNSELL S. CROSBY, Rhinebeck, N. Y. 



I^HE winter of 1911-1912 was very severe in New York State and the 

 ice on the rivers and lakes became unusually thick. By the second 

 week in February the Hudson was frozen over nearly to its mouth, 

 and no open water remained in the lakes of the western part of the state. A 

 number of waterfowl winter on the latter regularly, and, for the first time in 

 years, they were forced to fly elsewhere in search of sustenance. P'rom miles 

 around this region they gathered wherever a little water appeared, and there 

 interested people scattered food for them. The various species of Ducks 

 were able to subsist on these provisions, although great numbers of them died, 

 but such fish-eating birds as the Grebes were unable to find any nourish- 

 ment. Holbceirs Grebe seems to have been unusually common, eleven live 

 ones and seventeen dead having been recorded from one part of Cayuga Lake. 

 ('Auk,' XXIX, p. 440.) Those that were strong enough attempted to fly to 

 a warmer climate, and ten were recorded between February 9 and 15 as far 



