Show r By the Way Copyright 1924 19 North American Newspaper News News- paper Alliance Bird That Eats Own Feathers The North American grebe ono one of ot the most common native waterfowl eats great quantities of its own feathers feathera feath feath- ers era according to a study of the species ape ape- des cies published d by Dr Alexander Wetmore Wetmore Wet Wet- db ot r eP r more for the tho b bureau burau of biological l 1 survey sur sur- Vt vey Why it makes a meal off its plumage remains a mystery after Dr Wetmore's but the stomach of nearly every specimen examined revealed masses of feathers mingled with remains Jf f fish ish and insects The grebe is practically born swimming swim swim- ming Dr Wetmore reports Grebes make mako their nests in piles of decaying vegetation in shallow water with a Q depression in the top barely above the I surface The Tho eggs almost lie He In the water On hatching the down covered birds start to swim their bodies al almost almost al- al most entirely submerged They tiro tire I easily however and with plaintive whistles approach the mother She then depresses her back bacle allowing the little ones to crawl on this living raft I where th they y take refuge under the long Inner feathers of her wings while she swims about slowly In a few days I however the chicks become expert swimmers and hide among the water vegetation so that it it Is practically impossible to observe them until they I are three-quarters three grown |