1899.
Concord, Mass.
April 15 
(No 2)            
  As I was crossing Holden's Meadow early this afternoon
I came upon a Horned Grebe, the first that I have ever
found in Concord River. It discovered me and was
swimming rapidly out into the rough water of the tidal
current but it did not seem to be very much alarmed
and after I had walked the canoe close in shore it
began diving for food springing nearly clear of the water
like a Merganser and remaining beneath the surface for
periods varying from thirty to forty-two seconds. It
remained in nearly the same place, an eddy very near
shore but really in the river itself off the south end
of Davis's Hill. I watched it for fifteen or twenty
minutes through my glass. It was in the very fullest
& richest nuptial plumage. Its head looked very large
& fluffy - as large as a Drake Whistler - and the chestnut patch showed distinctly. The
neck was slender & gracefully held.
  When I started toward it again it swam out into
the choppy sea and directly down stream keeping
in the swiftest part of the current and making a
succession of remarkably long dives. Although I paddled
hard I did not succeed in overtaking it until
it turned into the meadow & there I did not get
nearer at any time than about 100 yards for it
doubled on me continually and went about as
far under water at each dive as a Loon. When it
came to the surface it invariably shoved its whole 
body or at least as much of it as a Whistler
or Old Squaw would have shown under similar circum-
stances. But from the monument when I began chasing it
the loose, ruff-like plumage of the head was pressed down
so tightly that the head looked scarce thicker than the 
slender neck. I could not make it far & finally left it during swimming & diving.
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