The Pied-billed Grebe 



now that "milady" has consented to hug this odious creature to her heart 

 in the shape of muff or stole. The pattern is further set off by touches 

 of chestnut on the head, and with higher reds on eyelids and bill. These 

 little studies in black-and-white are, moreover, eloquent of ancestral 

 beauty, now rehearsed alone in the brief hour of childhood. Whatever 

 did Uriah do to forfeit such ancient grandeur? 



The babies are as cute as they are striking in appearance, and the 

 fortunate captor cannot resist the appeal of play with such dainty toys 

 at hand. At first, escape by diving is their only thought, but they are 

 too light in weight to stay under long. Some try hiding, and lie motion- 

 less behind a water-weed, with only the tip of the bill and nostrils emerg- 

 ing. Best of all, is to see them paddling about on the surface of the 

 water, which is no hardship, and especially to see them linking up chain- 

 fashion in the vain endeavor to use the other fellow as a "surf-board." 

 This instinct to climb up on something is explained when the mother bird 

 appears on the scene. If you will retire discreetly, she will call her 

 chicks by clear, resonant notes, tender and anxious, peek poolk. Scur- 

 rying over the water to meet her, the chicks scramble instantly upon the 

 mother's back where they are both secreted and held in place by the 

 inner edges of the partially uplifted wings. With her brood so disposed, 

 the mother grebe (with all her sins forgiven now) prefers to ride high 

 upon the surface of the water. But she will dive with her burden if need 

 be, and the babies thus traverse very considerable distances in the 

 "only original" submersible. 



Taken in Merced County 



Photo by the Author 



A NEW GENERATION 

 YET THE DRESS OF THESE ARTLESS BABIES IS ELOQUENT OF BYGONE DAYS, A MILLE-MILLENNIUM OF PHYLOGENETIC 



HIsruRY REHEARSED IN A FORTNIGHT 



206l 



