. Birds & nature. Birds; Natural history. THE PIEDBILL jEMBERS of the family of Grebes are to be found in the temperate ^zones of both hemis- pheres, beyond which they do not extend very far either to the north or south. They are usually found on ponds or large sheets of stagnant water, sometimes on deep, slow-moving streams ; but always where sedges and rushes are abundant. Probably there are no birds better entitled to the name of water fowl than the Grebes—at least, observers state that they know of no others that do not on some occasions appear on dry land. It is only under the
. Birds & nature. Birds; Natural history. THE PIEDBILL jEMBERS of the family of Grebes are to be found in the temperate ^zones of both hemis- pheres, beyond which they do not extend very far either to the north or south. They are usually found on ponds or large sheets of stagnant water, sometimes on deep, slow-moving streams ; but always where sedges and rushes are abundant. Probably there are no birds better entitled to the name of water fowl than the Grebes—at least, observers state that they know of no others that do not on some occasions appear on dry land. It is only under the most urgent circumstances, as, for instance, when wounded, that they approach the sho/e, and even then they keep so close to the brink that on the slightest alarm they can at once plunge into the water. Whatever they do must be done in the water ; they cannot even rise upon the wing without a preliminary rush over the surface of the lake. From dry land they cannot begin their flight. Their whole life is spent in swimming and diving. They even repose floating upon the water, and when thus asleep float as buoyantly as if they were made of cork, the legs raised to the edges of the wings, and the head comfortably buried among the feathers between the back and shoulder. Should a storm arise, they at once turn to face the blast, and are usually able, with their paddle-like feet, to maintain them- selves in the same place. They dive with great facility, and make their way more swiftly when under water than when swimming at the top. When fl^"ing the long neck is stretched out straight forwards and the feet backwards. In the absence of anv tail, they steer their course by means of their feet. When alarmed they instantly dive. Their food consists of small fishes, insects, frogs, and tadpoles. Grebes are peculiar in their manner of breed- ing. They live in pairs, and are very affectionate, keeping in each others company during their migrations, and always returning together to the
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1800, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectnaturalhistory
