632 THE PIED-BILLED GREBE. 



to whitish of throat; neck, fore-breast, and sides strongly tinged with brownish 

 ochraceous; belly dingy white, unmottled; bill without black band. Immature: 

 Like adult in winter, but sides of head with more or less distinct stripes of brown. 

 Length 12.00-15.00 (304.8-381.); wing 5.10 (129.5); bill .80 (20.3); along 

 gape 1.25 (31.8) ; depth at nostril .43 (10.9) ; tarsus 1.55 (39.4). 



Recognition Marks. — Teal size; bill short and stout, its black band dis- 

 tinctive during breeding season, its shape sufficiently so at other times; head 

 and neck brownish with dull whitish throat in winter plumage. 



Nest, a floating or half-submerged mound of decayed vegetation in open 

 space of swamp water. Eggs, 4-8, dull white or pale greenish buff, usually more 

 or less discolored by contact with water-soaked nest. Av. size, 1.75 x 1.20 (44.5 



X 30-5 )■ 



General Range. — British Provinces southward to Brazil, Argentine Re- 

 public, and Chili ; the West Indies and Bermuda, breeding locally nearly through- 

 out its range. 



Range in Ohio. — Common migrant. Locally resident in summer. Occa- 

 sionally resident in winter in open or half-open water. 



THE Water-witch is expert at diving and all that pertains to the trade. 

 The skill and success with which it used to avoid at the flash of the muzzle- 

 loading gun, has given rise to several vigorous and sulphurous sounding names, 

 and a genuine belief in some quarters that the bird is in league with the Evil 

 One. When a supposed "duck" is first blown to pieces by the discharge of 

 the musket, and then bobs up serene and smiling a moment later, the only 

 thing to do is to throw down the gun and take to the woods. But devil or no 

 devil, smokeless powder is a little too quick for him, and for this reason alone 

 the Grebe is becoming more scarce each year. 



Sometii.ies instead of diving 'as quick as a flash,' the bird, if it thinks 

 itself unobserved and wishes to escape, will settle slowly into the water and 

 disappear without leaving a ripple behind. Once under water the diver makes 

 marvellous progress, apparently without assistance from the wings. And if it is 

 undesirable to appear on exhibition again it requires only to thrust the tip of the 

 bill to the nostrils above the surface of the water from time to time. Thinking 

 to test their powers both of diving and flight, I once pursued a company of 

 twenty-five Pied-bills about a two-acre opening in the ice of the Licking Res- 

 ervoir. The birds would neither fly nor try to escape beneath the surrounding 

 ice, preferring rather to play at hide and seek with me in the boat. Some came 

 to the surface and got a single gulp of air, while others fearlessly presented a 

 broad-side view, and others still paddled about with only the head sticking 

 out of water. They are said, however, to take to wing easily and to fly rapidly. 

 On land they are unable to rise, and flounder about quite helplessly. 



The Grebe oftenest remains concealed by day, except during migrations 

 and in winter, and for this reason is almost unknown to eye in its own breed- 

 ing haunts. 



Dr. Langdon's account of their breeding in the northern part of the state^ 

 is still the best extant, and I repeat a few paragraphs by permission : 



1 "Summer Birds of a Northern Ohio Marsh" by Frank W. Langdon. Journal of the Cincinnati Snc nf 

 Nat. Hist. Vol. III., No. 3, October, 1880; p. 231. '-innau aoc. ot 



