The Pied-Billed Grebe {PodUymbus podiceps) 



By I. N. Mitchell 



Common summer resident ; sexes, alike ; length, thirteen and one-half inches ; 

 nest, on the water either fastened to rushes, or resting on the bottom ; eggs, four 

 to eight ; arrives about March 20th. 



The grebes are water birds, and because they resemble bob-tailed ducks are 

 often thought to belong to the duck family. 



A glimpse at their feet shows at least one important difference. The duck's 

 feet are fully webbed, while the grebe's toes are webbed for about half their 

 length and have broad, free, rounded lobes the rest of the way. 



Being remarkably good divers and swimmers, when disturbed they take to 

 their heels — or toes — instead of to their wings. 



Citicus had strayed into the countr>', and, climbing a low ridge, appeared 

 suddenly near the margin of a beautiful little lake. Rushes and willows fringed 

 the shore. At the first glance Citicus saw a small, duck-like bird swim from 

 behind a clump of willows and immediately disappear under water. Interested 

 at once, Citicus sat down on a near-by log to get a better view of the bird when it 

 should rise to the surface. 



He waited a minute, — no bird ; two minutes — he began to fear for the bird ; 

 was it a case of heart failure? Had some monster fish seized it? Three minutes 

 — all quiet ; four — five ! It can hold its breath like a turtle ! He look out over 

 the lake, nothing in sight but a similar bird swimming leisurely about on the 

 opposite side, but that did not interest him. What could have happened to his 

 bird ! 



He welcomed the approach of a young stranger. Rusticus greeted him with 

 "a fine day." "Fine as silk," he replied. ''Anything doing? Have you'been in?" 

 asked R. "No," said C. "Fm as dry as a drunkard, but just as I came over the 

 ridge, I saw a bird swim from behind those willows. At sight of me it dove like 

 a flash and hasn't come up yet. That was nearly ten minutes ago !" "What sort 

 of a bird, big or little?" asked R. "It was like a small duck, brownish above and 

 light below ; I didn't make out any tail," said C. "Did it have a dark ring about 

 the bill?" queried R. "Didn't present any bill, just a bit of change, and mighty 

 quick at that, now you see me, — now you don't," replied C. "And you have not 

 seen it since?"— "No, I have hardly taken my eyes off the spot where it went 

 down, and I'm sure that it has not come up yet." "I see," replied R., "you think 

 it hasn't, but it has been up most of the time that you have been watching the spot. 

 There is your bird over on the other side. Don't you know the hell-diver ? No ? 

 Well, that's your bird. Let's sneak around and surprise him again and watch 

 where he comes up." 



They circled the bay, kept under cover of a raised roadway, and popped up 

 not more than sixty feet from the grebe. It swam a few strokes, turning its 

 head to look back at the boys, then dived quickly and disappeared. 



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