BRITAIN'S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 21 



more or less ice-bound, and it has of necessity to migrate 

 — usually to the seacoast. 



This species differs most markedly from the members 

 of its order already discussed, in its small size. Apart 

 from this, it resembles its crested congener in general 

 character, but lacks altogether the purely decorative 

 portions of the latter's plumage. The winter plumage 

 differs from the summer dress chiefly in the generally 

 duller and paler tints of the various parts. The chin, 

 notably, becomes quite white. 



The nesting habits of the Dabchick resemble those of 

 its larger relative. The nest is very similar, for instance, 

 and the eggs are usually covered up in the absence of 

 the bird. Except when the danger is very close at hand, 

 the startled bird usually pauses to pluck with great 

 rapidity a few billfuls of reeds and lay them on top of 

 its treasiu-es, or merely to scrape over them with its feet 

 material already plucked. Concealment is probably a 

 more important object in this case, and a nest with the 

 eggs properly covered up in this way might easily be 

 passed over by the uninitiated as an accidental collection 

 of flotsam. The four to six eggs are at first creamy 

 white, but long before the end of the three weeks of 

 incubation they become darkly stained by the materials 

 of the nest. The chicks are striped like those of the 

 Great Crested Grebe, but they lack the patch of bare red 

 skin. In their habits and their early adoption of an 

 aquatic life they are also similar. Two broods are some- 

 times reared in a season, and a male Dabchick has been 

 recorded as still in charge of the first brood while the 

 mother was already incubating the second clutch of eggs. 

 One curious habit common to many aquatic birds may 

 be conveniently described in connection with the Dabchick, 

 although we have already given it a passing mention. 



