A FAMILY SCENE 303 



still on the weeds and water, as though upon the 

 nest — a thing which I have seen before. In about a 

 quarter of an hour, the other bird emerges from 

 some rushes, and then, the two swimming to meet 

 each other, there is a most joyous and long-lasting 

 little hinny between them — as pretty a little scene 

 of rejoicing as ever one saw. It is a family scene, 

 for the chicks are still on the back of the mother, 

 which they have not once left. Having fully ex- 

 pressed themselves, the two parents separate, and 

 the mother, swimming, still with her burden, to the 

 nest, springs up on it, and, in her usual quick and 

 active manner, goes through the weed-removing pro- 

 cess, during the whole of which the chicks still 

 cling to her, for they have not been flung off in her 

 violent ascent. There are two of them — perhaps 

 three — but of this I cannot be sure. The fourth 

 egg, at any rate, must be still unhatched, for from 

 what else can the weeds have just been removed ? 



At 5.20 the bird goes off, and, for a moment, the 

 two chicks are swimming by her. One of them 

 goes out to a tiny distance, but returns imme- 

 diately, as though drawn in by a string — quite a 

 curious appearance. They then press to, and crawl 

 upon the mother, in an almost parasitical way, and, 

 when on, I cannot distinguish them from her, 

 though there is an unusual bigness and fluffiness at 

 the extremity of her back, where they both cling, 

 one at each side, projecting, I think, a little be- 

 yond her body. Now, too, I fancy I can detect a 

 third, higher up towards her neck. The nest has 

 been left uncovered, and at 6, no bird having 

 come to it again, I go to look at it, and find, as 



