122 PODICIPEDID^. 



on a calm day, when the surface of the lake is smooth, 

 they put off, and look out with telescopes for a large Grebe, 

 towards which the men row ; on their approach the bird 

 dives, and the boatmen pull with vigour in the direction the 

 bird has taken, in order to be near it when it comes up to 

 the surface to breathe. One of the shooters stations himself 

 in the bow of the boat, one at the stern, and the others are 

 one at each side, about the middle. At the commencement 

 of the pursuit, when the bird is strong, it frequently comes to 

 the surface of the water, out of shot, and has perhaps altered 

 its course, but a good look-out being kept by the shooters at 

 their different posts, the bird is soon descried, and the rowers 

 again urge the boat in chase ; the bird dives again, and is 

 again pursued, and on rising is perhaps shot at, but at too 

 great a distance to be effectual, and the bird dives again. 

 In this way the bird, partly exhausted by the necessity of 

 maintaining its exertion, and perhaps slightly wounded, is 

 unable to remain so long under water, but the boat is close 

 at hand, the exertion must be continued, and the Grebe 

 still rises and dives again with so much rapidity that several 

 unsuccessful shots are frequently made. The rowers from 

 practice can tell very nearly whenever the bird dives how 

 many strokes of the oars will bring the boat near the place 

 where it may be expected to rise, and by giving out this 

 notice and counting aloud, the interest is kept up through- 

 out the pursuit, till a fortunate shot gives the fatal blow, 

 when the prize is handed into the boat, and the telescopes 

 are again put into requisition to find out a new victim. 



The adult male bird has the bill reddish horn-colour ; the 

 irides red ; the top of the head, and the elongated feathers of 

 that portion of the crest on the crown of the head, rich dark 

 brown ; the cheeks white ; the long feathers forming together 

 the tippet, and part of the crest standing out from the sides 

 of the neck are reddish-chestnut at the base, becoming dark 

 chestnut at the end ; the neck behind, as also the back, wings, 

 rump, and the short tuft-like tail, dark brown ; the secondaries 

 white, but this colour is little seen unless the wings are ex- 

 tended ; front of neck, and all the under surface of the body 



