The Great Crested Grebe 165 



THE GREAT CRESTED GREBE 

 (PODICEPS CRISTATUS). 



THIS bird — sometimes called by authors the dab- 

 chick — is a large and fine species, the largest of 

 the genus, and in the plumage of incubation has 

 an imposing appearance from the rich coloring and ample 

 adornments of the head and neck. Unlike the divers, the 

 larger grebes have their range to the southward, and con- 

 tinue resident in many of the English counties for the 

 whole year, and more particularly in the fenny districts ; 

 to the North of England they become more unfrequent in 

 summer ; in fact, it is scarcely ever seen on the borders 

 during summer. 



It is only met with here as a winter visitant. In 

 Holland it may often be seen on the inland waters, and, 

 in fact, it can be seen almost anywhere between Norway 

 and the Mexican coast, so universal is its range. It has 

 been descried passing through the air in flocks of seven to 

 fifty in number. 



The nest, placed among reeds or aquatic herbage, is 

 formed of decayed plants, and is sometimes of consider- 

 able bulk. The old birds at this time are very wary, 

 the female sliding almost imperceptibly from the nest, 

 dives, and rises at a distance, leaving her track without 

 a possibility of being discovered. 



The usual characteristics of the species are : forehead 

 and crown greyish brown, and on each side of the latter 

 the feathers become elongated, and form two lengthened 

 tufts, the colours gradually shading into deep greyish 

 black ; from the base of these tufts, around the auriculars 

 and throat, springs an ample ruff, which can be dis- 

 played at pleasure ; the chin and below the eyes shading 

 into orange-brown, which deepens in shade towards the 

 terminal end of the ruff, where it becomes lustrous greyish- 

 black ; the occiput and neck succeeding the ruff are chest- 

 nut-red and brownish-black intermixed ; the back of the 

 neck, upper parts, and wings are blackish-brown, darker 



