n of the feet, which in this bird are immensely broad
and strong, and so flat that it cannot walk with them, any more than we
could with two flat boards a yard square tied to our feet; but, when it
is caught on land, shoves its body along upon the ground, like a seal,
by jerks. All these diving motions are executed in a more delicate but
quite as wonderful way by the dabchick,--more wonderful indeed it may
be said, because it has only the divided or chestnut-leaf-like foot, to
strike with. We shall understand it perhaps a little better after
tracing, in a future talk, the history of its relations among the
smaller sea-gulls; meantime, in quitting the little dainty creature, I
must plead for a daintier Latin name than it has now--'Podiceps.' No
one seems to have the least idea what that means; and 'Colymbus,'
diver, must be kept for the great Northern Diver and his deep-sea
relatives, far removed from our little living ripple-line of the pools.
I can't think of any one pretty enough; but for the present 'Trepida'
may serve; and perhaps be applied, not improperly, to all the Grebes,
with reference to their subtle and instant escape from any sudden
danger. (See Stanley, p. 419.) "It requires all the address of a keen
sportsman to get within shot," and when he does, the bird may still be
too shrewd for him. "I fired at the distance of thirty yards; my gun
went quick as lightning, but the grebe went quicker, and scrambling
over, out of sight, came up again in a few seconds perfectly unhurt."

I think, therefore, that unless I receive some better suggestion,
'Trepida Stagnarum' may be the sufficiently intelligible Latin renaming
of our easily startled favorite.

IV.

TITANIA ARCTICA. ARCTIC FAIRY.

111. I must first get quit of the confusion of names for this bird.
Linnaeus, in the Fauna Suecica, p. 64, calls it 'Tringa Lobata,' but
afterwards 'Northern Tringa'; and his editor, Gmelin, 'Dark Tringa.'
Other people agree to call it a 'phalarope,' but some of them
'northern' phalarope, some, the 'dark' phalarope; some, the 'ashy'
phalarope, some, the 'disposed to be ashy' phalarope; some, the
'red-necked' phalarope; and some, 'Mr. Williams's' phalarope; finally,
Cuvier calls it a 'Lobipes,' and Mr. Gould, in English, 'red-necked
phalarope.' Few people are likely to know what 'Phalarope' means,[24]
and I believe nobody knows what 'Tringa' means; and as, also, nobody
ever sees it, the little bird being obliged to live in