Nesting of the Grebes. 
I read with interest Mr. Cantwell’s com¬ 
ments in a recent O. & O. relative to the nest¬ 
ing of the Pied-billed Grebe. I am glad the 
subject has been taken up, as the discussion 
may lead to the settlement of some disputed 
points. That the Pied-billed Grebe sits on 
the nest in this locality seems quite evident. 
At least my observation will corroborate that 
of Mr. Wm. G. Smith. The first nest discov¬ 
ered last summer contained seven eggs about 
two thirds incubated. They were exposed; 
quite probably the bird had left the nest with¬ 
out covering the eggs as my approach was 
sudden. On August 3d Mr. Smith called my 
attention to a Grebe sitting on a nest upon a 
lake within a few yards of his house. He 
claimed it was the Pied-billed Grebe, and I 
had no reason to doubt the correctness of his 
claim, as the bird was in full view, and could 
easily have been identified with the excellent 
field glass in his possession. 
In the afternoon of the same day we visited 
a large swamp to secure some sets of the 
American Eared Grebe. At one end of the 
swamp among some reeds we found at least 
thirty nests. Nearly all contained three eggs 
each, yet a few contained four eggs. They 
were uncovered with but few exceptions, and in 
the four sets which I took for my collection 
incubation was quite well advanced. Upon 
Mr. Smith’s suggestion I examined the eggs 
and found the upper side to be the warmer, 
which would hardly have been the case if they 
had been heated through vegetable decompo¬ 
sition. The nests were made of flags and a 
kind of swamp grass which grows abundantly in 
the lakes in this vicinity. This grass is not of 
a nature to easily decompose. 1 discovered no 
j evidence of heat from that source. Further 
observation may lead to a change in views but 
from present light X must believe, hist, that 
the Grebes sit upon their eggs for the purpose 
of incubation, and second that their eggs are 
rot incubated through the heat generated by 
vegetable decomposition. Testimony from 
careful observers in the approaching season 
will dispel all uncertainty. Wm. Osborn. 
Loveland, Colorado. 
__ May. 1890 *» m 
Nesting of the Thick-billed Grebe. 
In the Feburary number of the O. & O. 
there is an article on the nesting of the Thick¬ 
billed Grebe by George G. Cantwell that does 
not agree exactly with my experience with 
that bird. There have been several articles 
advocating the theory that the eggs were 
hat ched by the heat of the ne st. 
I have on three different occasions seen 
the Grebe on her nest, and once my friend 
raised his paddle to kill a bird on her nest, 
but I stopped him, and the bird seemed to 
slide off the nest and under the water. It 
scarcely made a ripple. 
At another time I ran on a nest that was 
just hatching, and the Grebe ran away in the 
grass (the nest was on the edge of a large 
bog) and made a groat fuss calling, etc. 
The nests here are usually in the water, 
;loosely made of moss, grass, roots and mud, 
!and are about as large as a bushel basket, and 
I completely saturated with water, which would 
prevent generating heat sufficient to hatch the 
eggs. 
Cantwell says completed sets are covered. 
I never have noticed any difference in the 
J covering as nearly all are covered, but the eggs 
can usually be seen through the covering. Ho 
: also says he has stood on the edge of 
the marsh and could sec three or four 
nests. 
In a day’s collecting in a boat 1 have taken 
, ten nests and would probably travel five to 
seven miles. I do not think 1 ever found two 
nests nearer than twenty or thirty rods apart. 
D. Hatch. 
Oakfield, Wis. 
0, St 0, 15. July,1890. p, m- 
Nesting of the Pied-billed Grebe. 
I have read with interest in the O. & O., 
from time to time, notes from collectors of 
different localities on the nesting of the Pied- 
| billed Grebe. I have made this bird a special 
study for some time, and am always glad to j 
see any notes of interest any collector mayj 
bring out. 
I During the past season (1890), I had a good; 
opportunity to observe them during the 
nesting season, and although I have often 
cautiously approached to where I could obtain 
a good view of the nest I have never yet been 
able to see a bird sitting. 
The first nest found this summer was May 
8th, and it contained two fresh eggs. Later in 
the day another nest was observed containing 
one egg. The eggs of both nests were only 
partially covered, and no old birds were in 
sight. 
Returning to the same locality on the 18th 
of the month one nest was found to contain 
five, the other four eggs. Incubation was 
begun in both sets. This time the eggs were 
completely covered and were warm when 
taken from the nest. 
Of fifteen nests examined this year six eggs 
were the most found in any one nest, and that 
only in one instance, the number being usually 
five, but occasionally only four were found. I 
have never yet found a complete set of eggs ' 
that was not entirely covered with decaying 
vegetation and the eggs always warm. 
1 have for some time been of the opinion 
that the Grebe in this locality does not sit on 
her eggs in the (laytime for the purpose of 
incubating, I having never seen or heard tell 
of one being seen so engaged. 
And although further observations may 
lead me to change my views, for the present I \ 
must believe that the Grebe does not sit on ! 
her eggs in the daytime for the purpose of j 
incubating; but that the incubation is carried 
on largely by heat generated from the decay¬ 
ing vegetation of which the nest is composed. 
I should like to hear from others, on this 
subject, who have observed them breeding, for 
if 1 am not right 1 wish to know it. 
F. G. Pearson. 
- < - u, ^OfitUSOQ, p /tt'M-3. 
