LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN DIVING BIRDS. 21 
nests of this species that season, although they are not uncommon 
in that region. The horned grebe is nowhere abundant, but it is 
widely and evenly distributed all through the northern prairie re- 
gions. In Saskatchewan I recorded it as uncommon in 1905 and 
rare in 1906, though we found a few nests each season. I found 
two nests on June 7, 1905, in the Crane Lake slough within a short 
distance of the western grebe colony. The first nest was well con- 
cealed in the middle of a clump of tall reeds (Scirpus lacustris) and 
was floating in water about knee-deep. It was made of wet rotten 
reeds and rubbish and measured 10 inches in diameter outside and 
7 inches inside; it contained five eggs, which were only about 2 inches 
above the water. The second nest was in a more open situation but 
was similarly constructed; it contained nine eggs and was some- 
what larger than the first nest, measuring 13 by-12 inches in outside 
diameter. 
In the Magdalen Islands, in 1904, we found a few pairs of horned 
grebes nesting in the small ponds near East Point, where, even as 
late as June 22, the sets were incomplete or perfectly fresh. A nest, 
found wth one egg in it on the 18th, now held three fresh eggs; 
probably more would have been laid as the eggs were covered 
and the bird was not incubating; this would seem to indicate that an 
egg is laid every other day. The nest was a floating mass of dead 
and green flags, mostly the latter, mixed with soft aquatic mosses and 
algae; I could pass my hands completely under it and lift it without 
materially disturbing its floating capacity; it was partially secured 
from drifting by being anchored to the dead stalks of a scanty, open 
growth of flags (Typha latifolia), in water about 18 inches deep. 
It was in perfectly plain sight, and even conspicuous at a long dis- 
tance, as were all of the nests of this species in that locality, for the 
broken-down flags of last year’s growth, offered little concealment; 
later in the season the new growth of flags would probably have 
hidden it. This nest measured 14 inches in outside diameter, but the 
inner cavity was only about 4 inches in diameter. The grebes were 
very tame and swam slowly away, watching us intently within gun- 
shot range. I have always found this species very bold and_con- 
spicuous, in marked contrast to the pied-billed grebe, which is very 
seldom seen near its nest. I was much impressed with the striking 
beauty of a handsome male that we shot; it had the most beautiful 
eye that I have ever seen in any bird, brilliant scarlet, finely veined 
and penciled, with an irregular ring of yellow around the pupil, 
gleaming like fire in its setting of soft velvety plumage, 
The nests are made of whatever soft vegetable substances are 
easily available, mixed with mud, and are usually more conspicuous 
than those of the pied-billed grebe. The grebes themselves are gen- 
erally much more in evidence than the dabchicks, making identifi- 
