7° 



THE BIOLOGICAL REVIEW. 



On June 18, 1892, I found a nest and four eggs which 

 undoubtedly belong to this species. As I approached the lake 

 the bird left the nest and swam about with her mate, at times 

 coming so near that I had no difficulty in identifying them. 

 The nest, a solid mass of vegetable matter, was placed a few 

 yards from the shore, in about a foot of water ; it was very 

 slightly hollowed, being in fact little more than a heap raised a 

 few inches above the water and resting on the bottom ; the eggs 

 were continually wet. Incubation had just commenced. The 

 eggs were of a dull, dirty-brownish color, and measured 2' by 

 if in diameter. 



The birds were very quiet, making no outcry, but appeared 

 very uneasy. I think they subsequently raised, a brood in the 

 same place, as I noticed them there all through the summer. 



Colymbus auriiits (Horned Grebe). — This is much commoner 

 than the preceding species, being found in all marshes and 

 ponds. I only examined one nest but saw many more ; they 

 are somewhat difficult to get at though the water is shallow, the 

 bottom is very soft and muddy so that it is not pleasant work 

 wading after them. 



On the 24th of June, 1892, I found a pair of these birds in a 

 small lake or rather pond, and, after collecting the female, I 

 started to search for the nest, which I found, after making a 

 complete circuit of the pond. 



It was composed of the same material and placed in the same 

 position as that of the Red-necked Grebe, but was much smaller 

 in size ; the four eggs it contained were nearly fresh ; color, 

 uniform dirty-white, without any spots or markings. They 

 measure if' by i^', being much sharper at the small end than 

 those of the Red-neck, and also very much lighter in color. 



These birds are very shy and hard to shoot, as they are under 

 the water before the shot reaches them. 



Each pair seem to have a pond to themselves, except in larger 

 lakes, where there are often two pair to be seen. 



Chordeiles virginianus (Nighthawk). — I have frequently been 

 startled of a dark night going along a road, by having one of 

 these birds dart up from almost under my feet and glide away 

 silently. They have a habit of waiting until they are almost 



