EUROPEAN DABCHICK. 279 



course, with a fluttering motion of its wings, and its large 

 paddles projecting beyond its blunt end. Its activity is 

 amusing, and contrasts with, the slowness of the graceful 

 Swan. When frightened it sinks, so as to leave nothing 

 exposed but the head, or shoots away under water, and after 

 a while thrusts up its bill to breathe. Its food consists of 

 small fishes, aquatic coleoptera, mollusca, and sometimes seeds. 

 It is seldom heard to emit any cries, but in spring makes a 

 low clicking and chattering sort of noise. 



The nest, which I have never seen, is variously described 

 by authors. Some say it floats, others view it as floating 

 only through accident ; some even allege, that when drifting 

 along, the sitting bird thrusts its feet through it, and paddles 

 away to a safe place. The truth appears to be, simply, that 

 the nest is very large, formed of a mass of aquatic plants, and 

 placed among the reeds or sedges. On leaving it, the bird is 

 said to cover the eggs with dry grass, probably with the view 

 of concealing them. They are five or six in number, dull 

 white, and of an elliptical form. The young presently betake 

 themselves to the water. 



This bird can hardly walk, and even in standing rests on 

 the hind part of its tarsi. Although it can easily rise from 

 the water on wing, it is unable to spring from the ground, 

 and may thus be caught with the hand. Mr. Selby has even 

 found that when, having in winter betaken themselves to the 

 sea-coast, " they happened to be left in small pools after the 

 recess of the tide, they first dived, and afterwards invariably 

 attempted to conceal themselves among the fronds of the 

 algse, rarely attempting to escape by flight." I have never 

 observed them in full open flight, although in this respect 

 they probably resemble the other species. When the waters 

 are frozen they betake themselves to estuaries, and even the 

 open shores of the sea, where they are said to feed on small 

 fishes and shrimps. 



In summer, this species is not uncommon even in the 

 most northern parts of Scotland, as well as in the Outer 

 Hebrides, where, however, I think, it is not found in winter. 

 Although generally dispersed, it is not plentiful in the middle 

 and southern parts of Scotland, nor in the northern districts 



