56 GREBES. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ORDER PYGOPODES. DIVING BIRDS. 
     
    
   
   
    
     FAMILY PODICIPIDEE. GREBES. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Grebes. 0r lobe-footed divers. number about thirty species, 
     
     distributed throughout the world. Six species are found in North 
     
     America. Grebes are eminently aquatic birds, and rarely if ever ven- 
     
     ture upon land, where they are almost helpless. 'l‘he marvelous rapid— 
     
     ity with which Grebes dire, and the ease with which this power for- 
     
     merly enabled them to escape the shot of the fowler. have won for them 
     
     their various popular names of "’ Hell-diver,” “ Water—witch," etc. The 
     
     cartridges of the modern breeehdoader do not give the warning of the 
     
     discarded flint-lock or percussion cap, and “ to dive at the flash " is 
     
     an expression which now has lost half its meaning. Grebes possess the 
     
     power of swimming with only the tip of the bill above water, a habit 
     
     which accounts for many mysterious disappearances. They feed largely 
     
     on fish. which they pursue and catch under water, progressing by aid 
     
     of the feet alone. 
     
    

    
     liliY TO THE SPECIES. 
     
    
   
   
    
     A. Depth of lllli at nostril over '35. 
     
    
   
   
    
     a. Wing over we . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Ilommmfis Gui-ma. 
     
     1). \\'ing under o-oo . . . . . . . . . . . 6. PIElI-UILIJZI) (Em-2131:. 
     
     B. Depth of bill at nostril less than '35. . . . . . . 3. HORNE» Grill-2m; 
     
    
   
   
    
     2. Colymbus holbcelliit Pei/111.). llot,tm:LL"s Gianna. .141. 2'11 Sinn— 
     
     mvr.wTop ot'the head. small crest. and back ot’the net-k. glossy black; back 
     
     ' blackish; throat and sides of the head silvery white; from: and sides of the 
     
     neck rut‘ous, changing gradually over the breast into the silvery white belly; 
     
     sides tinged with rutous. Ail. 7'11, NintensUpper parts blackish brown: 
     
     throat and under parts whitish; front and sides ot‘the neck pale l‘llfOUS- [mt 
     
     vUpper parts blackish; throat and under parts silvery white; HCCk and 
     
     sides grayish. L.. 19w); W.. 7-5”; Tari. 2‘20; 8.. 1'9”. 
     
    

    
     [idiom—Breeds in the interior of North .\meriea, from northern Minne- 
     
     sota northward; in winter migrates southward as far as South L‘al'olinfl and 
     
     Nebraska. 
     
    

    
     Washington, uncommon \V. V.. Sept. 30 to Meh. or Apl. IMHL’ lsland 
     
     irregular W. V., Net. to t\pl. Sing Sing, rare '1‘. V.. Oct. to DUC- Cam- 
     
     bridge. casual. 
     
    

    
     Next, a mass ot'waterisoaked. decaying vegetation floating 3‘11""! ”dies 
     
     in a slough. generally attaehed to its surroundings. Jim/s, [We to fiW‘, Ilull 
     
     white, more, or less soiled, 2'33 x 1'35. 
     
    
   
   
    
     “In common with others of the family, this Grebe i; an expert 
     
     diver. Often it will sink into the water without anj applmnl. effort. 
     
     though more generally it jumps fm‘ward. throwing the brad into the,