The Western Grebe 



a la Grebe, — since it is said that the mother can twist her neck around 

 without difficulty and bestow a selected morsel upon whom she will of the 

 expectant flock. 



Western Grebes mate faithfully and spend much time in close and 

 amicable association with their consorts. A proud sight is the male as he 

 rows behind or beside his mate. One I saw arched his neck like a high- 

 checked horse, with bill close in and pointing down; and he maintained 

 this conscious attitude for a number of minutes. As he did so, the black of 

 crown and neck, set off by the curving white core of the throat, made a 

 perfect interrogation point. 



A courting evolution sometimes witnessed deserves, whatever its 

 immediate significance, the name of wedding march, for it is a stately 

 affair, participated in, so far as one can judge, by both male and female. 

 In this, the female leading, but probably under the instigation of the cock, 

 they rise and tread the surface of the water, standing upright the while 

 with outstretched or quivering wings and with necks beautifully arched, 

 and they strike the water so vigorously with their feet as to quite maintain 

 their elevated position, and to make slow progress forward. The birds 



Taken in Santa Barba 



WATERED SILK, WITH IRRUPTIVE FIGURE 



Photo by the Author 



2044 



