North American Birds Eggs. 



DIVING BIRDS. Order I. PYGOPODES. 



GREBES. Family PODICIPID/E. 



Grebes are birds having a darlvlilic budy, but with pointed Idlls. Their feet, 

 too, are unlike those of the DiielvS, eacdi toe havintc its separate web, and 

 having a broad flat nail. Their wings are very small for the size of the body, 

 making it impossible for them to rise in flight from the land. They rise from 

 the water bj' running a few yards along tlie surface until they have secured 

 sufficient headway to allow them to launch tliemselves into the air. After 

 having risen from the water tlieir fiight is very swift and strong. On hind they 

 are very awkward and can only progress by a series of awkward liops; they 

 generally lie flat on their breasts, but occasionally stand up, suppurting them- 

 selves upon their whole tarsus. Grebes, together witli the Loons, are the most 

 expert aquatic birds that we have, diving like a flasli and swimming for an in- 

 credible distance under water. 



I. Western Grebe. ^Krlnnajjlionix (n-rifhiiffilif;. 



Range. — Western parts of Xorth America, from soutliern Alaska southward; 

 east to Minnesota and south in winter to the southern parts of the United States 

 and iSIexico. Breeds from tlie Dakotas and northern California nortliward. 

 These are the largest of the Ameri- 

 can Grebes; owing to their unusu- 

 ally l(jng necks, they are frequently 



called "Swan Grebes". They are ^ . - 



very timid birds and conceal them- 

 selves in the rushes on the least 

 suspicion of danger. At times, to , 

 escape observation, they will entire- 

 ly submerge their body, leaving 

 only their head and part of the long 

 neck visible above the water This 

 Grebe cannot be mistaken for any 

 other because of the long slender 

 neck and the long pointed bill, 

 which has a slight upward turn. 

 They nest aliundantly in the marsh- 

 es of North Dakota and central Canada. Their nests are made of decayed 

 rushes, and are built over the water, being fastened to the rushes so tliat the 

 bottom of tlie nest rests in the water. The nesting season is at its lieight 

 during the latter part of May. The}' laj' from three to five eggs, the ground 

 color of which is a pale lilue; this color is, however, always concealed by a thin 

 chalky deposit, and this latter is frequently stained to a dirty white. Size 2.40 

 xl.55. Data.— Sweetwater Lake, N. D., May 28, 1899, 4 eggs. Nest of decayed 

 blades of rushes in cane and rushes about ten rods from sliore. Water three 

 feet deep under the nest. Collector, Wm. A. Bowman. 



2 



ICtialky blaish white, staiiiecf l)uff. 



'' \\ 



