THE WATER BIRDS. 



DIVING BIBDS. (ORDER PYGOPODES.) 



Grebes. (Family Podicipid^.) 



The study of water birds requires special advantages 

 and equipments, among which are a suitable location, 

 much time, and a gun. Our coasts and shores are be- 

 coming so popular as " resorts " that many of the former 

 haunts of waterfowl are now thickly populated, and the 

 birds are comparatively rare. Furthermore, the larger 

 number of our water birds nest in the far North and 

 winter in the South, visiting the Middle States only while 

 on their migrations. It is evident, therefore, that if we 

 would become familiar with these birds, we must devote 

 ourselves especially to their pursuit. 



There are, however, some species, notably those which 

 frequent bodies of fresh water and nest in this latitude, 

 Pied-biUed Grebe which deserve to be ranked among our 

 Podiiy-mbus podiceps. commoner birds. Of these, one of the 

 Plate II. ]jgg| known, by name at least, is the 



Pied-billed Grebe, whose aquatic powers have given it 

 the expressive title of Hell-diver. 



Under favorable conditions this little Grebe may breed 

 anywhere from the Argentine Republic to British Amer- 

 ica, but in the Middle States it occurs chiefly as a spring 

 and fall migrant. When nesting, a quiet, reedy pond or 

 lake is chosen for a home, the nest being made on a pile 

 of decaying vegetation. The eggs, four to eight in num- 

 ber, are dull white, more or less stained by the nesting 

 material, which the parent bird rarely fails to place over 



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