RARER BIRDS OF AMES REGION 
213 
SPECIES RELATIVELY RARE AT AMES 
Pied-billed Grebe 
( Podilymbus podiceps) 
This grebe was not observed at Ames by the writer, and no 
records were brought to his notice until the artificial lake was 
made on the college campus. Since then the grebe has been seen 
probably every year. In 1921 Professor Guthrie had one as a 
captive for about two weeks. He writes as follows concerning 
it : “It was a very interesting specimen and caused more laughter 
than anything else we have ever had here. Its methods of walk- 
ing reminded one of the first attempts of a young child. It 
would go faster and faster on these cement floors of Science 
Hall until finally it would slide into the corner on its breast.” 
Mallard 
(Anas platyrhynchos) 
During the writer’s stay at Ames the mallard was not ob- 
served by him to light in the two mile radius of the college campus; 
On October 21, 1917, a flock of twenty-two was observed in 
flight overhead. A few miles south of Ames near Kelly the 
mallard is common during wet migration seasons. Five were 
observed here October 17, 1919. A few miles east of Ames also 
the mallard is found during migration. 
Blue- winged Teal 
(Querquedula discors ) 
While at Ames the writer flushed a blue- winged teal from 
the old gravel pit north of the campus. As soon as the bird 
was flushed I dropped to the ground on the bank and remained 
very quiet. The teal circled around and around for probably five 
minutes then with a lightning swoop it shot down to the very 
spot on the water from which it had sprung. In this position 
I viewed it at my leisure and to the very best of advantage, 
The teals are among the strongest of wing of all our ducks. 
Since the college lake was established the blue-wing has taken 
advantage of it. 
Scaup Ducks 
(Manila marila and M. afdnis) 
No records were obtained of the scaups stopping within the 
two mile radius previous to the construction of the college lake, 
although it is probable that some had alighted on Squaw creek. 
During the spring of 1918 scaups were seen for several days 
