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winter and the rest of the underparts 

 are light silver gray. 



The wings are brownish black, and 

 the tail almost lacking. 



Immature birds lack the rufous on 

 their heads during the first winter, 

 showing a mixed gray instead. Adults 

 of both sexes have the rufous much 

 brighter in breeding plumage. 



The small size readily distinguishes 

 this Grebe from any other China 

 species, the next smaller being four 

 inches longer. 



Distribution. — Eastern Asia. This 

 Grebe occurs generally in China, 

 wherever reedy lakes or swamps afford 

 suitable feeding ground. It is 

 resident, and very common in the 

 Yangtse Valley. 



Nest and Eggs. — The nest is a rough 

 truncated cone of reeds and grass, 

 loosely attached to standing reeds, 

 but floating in the water, usually near 

 the edge of a swampy pool. 



The eggs, four to eight in number, 

 are dull white when fresh, but are 

 soon stained to a dirty brown by the 

 nesting material. 



They are bluntly ovate in shape, 

 the two ends being almost equal. 



The bird usually covers the eggs 

 with the nesting material when leaving 

 them, making the nest look like a mass 

 of half decomposed, tangled reeds, 

 floating in the water. 



Notes. — This little Grebe lives in the 

 water and gets its food from it, rarely 

 flying unless forced to do so. It takes 

 a mixed diet of small fish and other 

 aquatic life. When startled they can 

 disappear almost instantly under water, 

 frequently coming up far to one side 

 among reeds or other cover where they 



