170 THE CONDOR Vol. XX 



ern kingbirds {Tyrannus vociferans and Tyrannus verticalis), the three orioles, 

 Bullock, Arizona Hooded and Scott (Icterus bullocki, Icterus c. nelsoni and Ic- 

 terus parisorum) , the last a particularly good example to cite, Lead-colored Bush- 

 tit (Psaltriparus plumbeus), the jays, nuthatches and wrens, and in fact almost 

 the whole list of nesting birds as I met them year after year, to demonstrate the 

 conclusions arrived at, namely, that it is far more usual for the same pair of 

 birds to remain mated for life than it is unusual. 



The nature of these observations is such that they are not capable of scien- 

 tific proof but they are very convincing nevertheless. One of my most valued 

 notebooks is based on the facts enumerated and bears the title of ' ' Nest census of 

 known breeding pairs". 



Farmingdale, Long Island, New York, February 4, 1918. 



A RETURN TO THE DAKOTA LAKE REGION 



By FLORENCE MERRIAM BAILEY 



(Continued from page 137) 



IV. THE GREBE OF THE SILVERY THROAT 



A flash of a long silvery throat disappearing in a lake had haunted me 

 for four years, for it had been my first sight of the Western Grebe, the silvery- 

 throated King of the Grebes. That was on one of the Sweetwater lakes and 

 now, on my return to them, a distant glimpse of another white throat at the 

 foot of the north lake filled me with hope. So, starting out in the morning, I 

 followed down the shore under cover of the tules, keeping a sharp lookout, 

 bending over in the low tules, but standing erect, well hidden, in the high ones, 

 as they rose above my head. Even when exposed, there was much in my fa- 

 vor, for the birds of the lake had to look at me toward the light and, used to 

 brown cattle splashing and shoving through the reeds and canes, in a poor 

 light might not discriminate between my bent, brown and green figure and the 

 low familiar forms. In the shallow water, in imitation of silent paddling, I wad- 

 ed slowly, keeping my boots under water, and in places where the water was not 

 too deep, set up my camp stool behind a thin screen of waving tule, watching at 

 my leisure, content to let the green rods wave across my glass, if only I could be 

 unobserved. 



Of course I was observed by some of the tule population. Two Coots went 

 splashing out into the lake, another sputtered and scolded, and a Ruddy Duck 

 rattled his castanets close by ; but a Sora ran his scale unafraid and the birds 

 out on the lake went about their business quite oblivious of me. The only ex- 

 ceptions were due to bad breaks on my part. Once I raised up full height 

 above the low tules, making a passing Grow caw distractedly, and sending 

 three swimmers inside a tule wall. As I immediately took the hint and sat 

 down, the swimmers came out again reassured. 



It was a wonderful morning to me, for I had never really seen the King of 

 Grebes before. At the remote foot of the lake, I found his breeding grounds. 

 A high stand of tules rods wide with indented bays and jutting tule points, of- 

 fered safe cover for nesting colonies, while the Big Ditch, approached by a wind- 



