LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN DIVING BIRDS. 39 
DISTRIBUTION. 
Breeding range—Mexico and Central America from Panama 
north to the Rio Grande region of southern Texas. Occurs in the 
cape region of Lower California and has been attributed (probably 
erroneously) to the “ Valley of the Colorado.” Apparently resident 
and breeding throughout its range. Eggs have recently been taken 
in Bexar County, Texas (10 miles south of San Antonio). Replaced 
by closely allied forms in South America and the Greater Antilles. 
E'gg dates.—Texas: 39 records, March 3 to September 6; 20 
records, June 3 to August 5. 
PODILYMBUS PODICEPS (Linneus). 
PIED-BILLED GREBE, 
HABITS, 
This widely distributed and well-known bird, the little “ dabchick,” 
is practically resident, or nearly so, throughout the southern por- 
tion of its range, though probably there is a general movement south, 
ward in winter and the summer residents are therefore not the same 
_ individuals that are seen in that region in winter. The dates given 
below show that this grebe is an early migrant, pushing northward 
soon after the ice has left our northern ponds and streams. Its 
favorite haunts when migrating are small sheltered ponds and slug- 
gish streams where it can paddle about in comfort and seek shelter, 
when danger threatens, among the bushes, reeds or grasses which line 
the shores or where it may hide under the protecting vegetation of 
overhanging banks. In such situations it seems to vanish mysteri- 
ously, skulking in some sheltered nook, with only its bill above water, 
well deserving its common name of “ water witch.” 
Courtship—Audubon’s (1840) spirited drawing of the “ pied- 
billed dabchick,” as he calls it, shows this bird in the midst of active 
courtship, which is a lively performance; the ardent suitor rushes 
about in the most excited manner, splashing along over the surface 
of the water or repeatedly diving below it and coming up again near 
his intended mate and voicing his admiration in a variety of soft 
cooing notes. 
Nesting.—As soon as their love affairs are settled the grebes begin 
to search for a suitable nesting site. This is generally well chosen 
and the nest more successfully concealed than is the case with the 
other grebes. The nature of the nesting site varies considerably in 
different localities. 
Mr. William Brewster (1906) describes a former nesting site of 
the pied-billed grebe in Massachusetts as follows: 
On June 13, 1891, Mr. Walter Faxon found a number of pied-billed grebes 
breeding at Great Meadow. There can be little doubt that they had been es- 
