1900 
May 5 
Carol ina 
Grebe s 
* * * * * * * ' * * * 
I took the 8.13 train fox E. Lexington where I met 
0. A. Lothrop by appointment, our object being to find and 
photograph some Grebes* nests. Lothrop had engaged a boat 
but it proved to be so leaky as to keep one or the other of 
us at work bailing most of the time. It was also too broad 
to go through the brush easily. Nevertheless by patience 
and hard work we explored practically ev ry flooded thicket 
in the entire reservoir. The results were disappointing for 
we found only one Grebe's nest. Nor did we hear any Grebes 
save the pair to which this nest belonged. The weather, of 
course, was not favorable for them to be calling freely but 
Lothrop and I both think that they are less numerous than 
usual and that possibly the birds whose nest we found are 
the only ones. 
This nest was built in the center of a small cluster 
of leafless button bushes and was floating on water about 
2 feet deep. It rocked to and fro and rose and fell as the 
waves rocked it from a space of open water near by. It con¬ 
tained 6 eggs. These were covered when we found it, wholly 
uncovered when we visited it an hour later, entirely covered 
-when we passed it on our way to the landing in the afternoon. 
We exposed a number of plates on it during our second visit, 
spending nearly an hour in this occupation. During this time 
the Grebes called every little while, at first some distance 
away, gradually working nearer until they were within 25 or 
30 yards. They gave the Cuckoo call only. We did not see 
either of them. 
