DIVING BIRDS 



3. Horned Grebe. Colymhus auritus. 



Range. — The whole of North America, breeding 

 In the interior from North Daliota nortliwest; 

 winters along the Gulf Coast. This species is 

 one of the most beautiful of the Grebes, having 

 in the breeding season huffy ear tufts, black 

 cheeks and throat, and chestnut neck, breast and 

 sides. They breed abundantly in the marshy flats 

 of North Dakota and the interior of Canada. 



T-IufT^' "wtiitp, ne.st stained 



They build a typical Grebe's nest, a floating mass 

 of decayed matter which stains tlie naturally 

 white eggs to a dirty brown. The number of 

 eggs varies from three to seven. Size 1.70 x 1.15. 

 Data.— Devils Lake, N. Dakota, June 20, 1900. 

 6 eggs much stained. Nest floating in 4 ft. of 

 water, a large mass of rotten rushes and weeds 

 Collector, James Smalley. 



'i. E.VRED Grebe. Coh/mbiis nigrictiUis. 

 californicus. 

 Range. — North America west of tlie Mississip- 

 pi, breeding from Texas to Manitoba and winter 

 ing along the Pacific Coast of the United Statt^- 

 and from Texas southward. 



Eared Grebes differ from the preceding in h&\ 

 ing the entire neck blackish. They nest ^eI^ 

 abundantly throughout tlie west, in favorable lo 

 calities, from Texas to Minnesota and Dakota. 

 Their nests are constructed in the same man- 

 ner as the preceding varieties and are located in similar iTicalities. As do all 

 the Grebes when leaving the nest, they cover the eggs with the damp rushes from 



around the base of the nest. This is prob- 

 ^^' — '—- ably for the purpose of assisting incuba- 



■''''^ tion during their absence, by the action of 



the sun's rays on the wet mass. As they 

 are nearly always thus covered upon the 

 approach of anyone, this may be done also 

 ; as a protection from discovery. They lay 

 from three to eiglit bluish white eggs with 

 the usual chalky and discolored appear- 

 ance. The breeding season is at its height 

 early in Juno, or cariier, in the southern 

 portion of its range. Si.'^e 1.75 x 1.20. Data. 

 —Artesian, S. Dakota. June 21, 1899. Nest 

 of rushes, floating in three feet of water. 

 Collector, F. A. Patlon. 

 13 



HrTiied Grebe 



Eared Grebe 



P-Uii-sh white, stained 

 Large colony iu a small lake. 



l\ 



