18 BRITAIN'S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 



close, thick plumage, and other adaptations to a mainly 

 a,quatic life. Grebes, however, have characteristic lobes 

 on the toes in place of complete webs. 



The cui'ious ornament on its head gives this species its 

 name ; but the word ' Grebe ' alone really implies this, 

 coming from a Celtic word for a comb. Though the 

 term is now applied to the whole family, many of the 

 members lack the ornament. In this species both sexes 

 have the crest in summer, but it is lost in winter, and is 

 absent from the plumage of immature birds. It is, 

 however, never so fully developed in the female as in 

 the male. 



The Great Crested Grebe may be considered a fairly 

 common bird over a great part of England. It may be 

 found on small ponds and large lakes, wherever it has 

 reed-beds in which to nest and a proper degree of freedom 

 from molestation. Towards the north of England and 

 through the Scottish lowlands its haunts become fewer. 

 In the Highlands it is found on a few of the most 

 southern lochs which are suitable to its habits, and it is 

 showing some signs of extending its range. In Ireland it 

 is comparatively abundant in many of the midland and 

 eastern coimties. Like the Divers, it is something of a 

 migrant, and becomes fairly numerous on the south coast 

 of England in winter, at which season it frequents many 

 places, both inland and on the sea, where it is not found 

 in summer. 



The nest is a floating mass of vegetable matter moored 

 among the reeds. The eggs, usually four in number, are 

 at first provided with an outer white chalky layer. This 

 wears off to a great extent during incubation and re- 

 veals the true shell, pale green in colour. The eggs are 

 usually covered up with material such as the nest is 

 made of, except when the bird is sitting ; but this is 



