Music of the Wild 



assumed in so doing is distinctive, and not at all 

 like tlie position taken by a duck or goose in 

 standing. The breast is lifted so high there ap- 

 jjears to be imminent danger of to2:)pling back- 

 ward. 



The color is some shade of brown over the 

 back, and ^\'hether you know what it is or not, you 

 Grebe are familiar with the breast of the grebe. When 

 Miihnery y^^^^ ggg ^ woman with a band of white plumage 

 tinted almost invisibly with blue and green, and 

 more strongly with golden brown, ornamenting 

 her hat, knoM' that from one to six of these harm- 

 less, lovable, sweet-voiced birds were stripped 

 from chin to vent to su])ply it. When you see that 

 other ■woman wearing a ca])e, the collar of which 

 reaches above her ears and the skirt to her elbows, 

 and it is made of almost indiscernible, delicately- 

 colored sections the size of your hand, know that 

 each stands for the life of one of these charming 

 marsh chatterers. 



The breast of the grebe is its curse. The feath- 

 ers are so tiny and fine as to render adequate de- 

 scription impossible. There are eight members of 

 the family having this exquisite plumage, that 

 varies in rarity with the different s])ecies. Crested 

 grebes are killed without mercy for this small patch 

 of rare feathering, and their marsh cousins do not 

 escape. There is no bird slaughter for plumage 

 more -wanton, unless it be that practiced by the 



89-1. 



