Music of the Wild 



tlie little ones ;ii-e hatched theif down is scarcely 

 (h'Y ])efore they take to the A\'atei'. 



How cunning they are! Sitting hke an auk, 

 Avliere you ^\'ouhl expect a tail to ])e, yet it is not; 

 tiny yellow feet, not wehhed like a duck's, but the 

 Avebbing in escallo])s on the outside of each flat 

 toe; small, armlike Avizigs; a bill that is sharp for 

 a water bird ; round, bright-irised eyes ; ])lunip. full 

 breasts of finest snow-white velvet; backs striped 

 much like those of young <juail, and the baby not 

 larger than i/oiir tliumh. 



On land they are the most helpless birds imag- 

 inable. They can not fly luitil almost fuUgrown, 

 and tlieii- legs are so far back they are unable to 

 lift the \\eight of their bodies. They rise on their 

 feet, lamich themselves forward, with the \\\>h of 

 their Avings breaking the fall on their breasts, and 

 thus, like uncouth four-footed tilings, go sprawl- 

 ing until they reach the A\ater. 



One can see their comic relief and the deep 

 breath they dra-w as they reach their native ele- 

 Expert ment. 'What a transformation! The prince of 

 Swimmers swimmers is the baby grebe. Like lightning play 

 the tiny escalloj)ed feet. It fairly seems to glide 

 over the surface, not infrequently distancing its 

 elders. AVhen tired or ready to sleep these com- 

 ical baby birds often climb upon the back of their 

 motliei-. making a jiicture delightfid to see. 



The diving of the grown grebe is so nearly 

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