16 BIRDS OF THE WORLD 



tremely awkward, owing to the position of the legs 

 at the back of the body. The Loon referred to was 

 supphed with hving fish from the aquariums at the 

 Station, and it was most interesting to watch it pur- 

 suing them under water. It would catch the smallest 

 fry with remarkable quickness and dexterity, never 

 seeming to miss one of its finny prey. When given 

 a fish too large to swallow with ease, the Loon would 

 pound and thresh it about, gradually softening it until 

 in condition to be devoured. The amount of food 

 required by this captive bird was extraordinary ; after 

 despatching twenty-five or thirty minnows in quick 

 succession, after a very short interval it would be 

 ready for as many more. 



The Red-throated Loon is a smaller species hav- 

 ing much the same range, breeding in the far north 

 and migrating southward in winter. 



Fresh-water Divers, or Grebes, are found in nearly 

 every part of the world, although they are most com- 

 mon in temperate regions. While the Sea Divers 

 have fully webbed feet, the Grebes simply have the 

 toes provided with broad lobes. But both Grebes and 

 Divers are experts at swimming under water. So 

 completely have the Sea Divers become modified by 

 this mode of life, that the legs have become shifted 

 to the extreme hinder end of the body, and, as a con- 

 sequence, they cannot walk. The Grebes, however, 

 can do so, although awkwardly. 



Two species of Grebe are figured here, the 

 Great Crested Grebe and the Little Grebe, or 

 Dabchick. The former is a very handsome bird, 

 and was at one time much hunted for the sake 



