284 OUR RARER BIRDS 



indeed to be prevented from making this provision for their 

 safety. Grebe's eggs are very conspicuous objects, and often 

 lie in a very conspicuous nest, so that there can be no doubt 

 that this singular proceeding is of great benefit and saves 

 many eggs from discovery. The more time she has, the more 

 carefully does she complete the task of covering them, so that 

 in many cases the nest looks nothing more than a heap of 

 rubbish. Time after time you may visit her nest, and just 

 as surely will she strive to cover her precious eggs. Some- 

 times, by walking quietly up and peeping at her between the 

 reeds, you may see her busy in the operation picking bits of 

 material from the nest, and spreading them rapidly over the 

 eggs. If the weather chance to be windy, and the water 

 washes much, the old Grebes constantly keep adding fresh 

 material to their nest to prevent it from being carried away. 

 Both birds assist in hatching the eggs and tending the young 

 brood. Soon after the latter is hatched the tiny young 

 Grebes take to the water, where they soon dive and swim as 

 actively as their parents. They often visit the nest and sit 

 on it, whilst the old birds search for food for them ; and if 

 suddenly disturbed the mother bird will often take a nestling 

 under each of her wings and dive rapidly into the water with 

 them, rising up in a place of safety some distance away. The 

 young Grebes in their downy covering are beautiful little 

 creatures, black striped with brown on the upper parts, 

 nearly white below. It is a most charming sight to watch 

 a family of these birds sporting on the quiet pool, swimming 

 and diving, all unconscious of danger, several of the chicks 

 probably standing on the broad leaves of the water lilies, or 

 nestling close inshore amongst the vegetation on the banks. 

 In autumn the Little Grebe often gathers into small parties, 

 but is never very gregarious in its habits. 



The Great-crested Grebe (Pocliceps cristatus), in spite of 

 continued persecution, still breeds in many parts of the 



