hem to walk at all.

*Grebes look like small, tailless ducks. They have long, slender necks,
short wings, smooth glossy plumage and flat, lobed feet. They
rarely leave the water and can dive or sink out of sight
instantly when disturbed, swimming to a distance with only the
tip of the bill out of water.

*Loons are very large, with flat, heavy bodies, short tails and long,
tapering bills. They are never crested, but are conspicuously
marked, and are equally expert with the grebes in diving and
sinking.

_Gulls_ and _Terns_ belong to the order of the _Long-winged Swimmers_,
but are better described by the name of _Skimmers_.

*Terns are much slenderer and usually smaller than gulls, have very
pointed bills and wings, and forked tails. They rarely if ever
swim, but skim swallow-like over the water, bill downward,
plunging into the water for their prey.

*Gulls are plumper than terns, with heavier bills and tails usually even.
They do not dive or plunge suddenly into the water, but fly and
soar or float about on the surface, sitting well up out of the
water.

_Ducks_, _Geese and Swans_ have webbed feet and short legs, and in
walking carry themselves almost horizontal. As a rule they have very
strong wings, enabling them to fly long distances at great speed. Our
ducks are most easily remembered in three groups:--

*1. The fish-eating Mergansers, whose plumage is largely black and white
and which have saw-edged bills and, usually, conspicuous
crests.

*2. The Sea Ducks, which are conspicuously marked but plainly colored,
frequent open water or the sea coast, diving, often to great
depths, for their food. Descriptions are given of the _Lesser
Scaup_, _Redhead_, _Canvas-back_, _American Golden-eye_,
_Old-squaw_ _and_ _Buffle-head_.

*3. The River Ducks, which have broad, rounded bills, are much variegated
in color and markings, and have a peculiar habit of feeding
head downwards, as though standing on their heads with the body
tipped up. The _Teals_, _Mallard_, _Wood Duck_ and _Pintail_
belong to this group. The females of these ducks, though
differing noticeably in size, may easily be confused.

*Geese are larger than ducks, feed mostly on land and are usually seen
dur