473 BRITISH BIRDS. 



birds were liard at work adding to their nest; a strong breeze was blowing, 

 and the Avavcs woukl in a verysliort time have washed it away if it had not 

 constantly been added to. On one occasion I noticed that the eggs were 

 uncovered, and ran to the nest as fast as I coukl, l)ut one of the birds came 

 back and covered the eggs in a moment. Two eggs Avere still unhatched, 

 and one young bird was dead in the nest. This brood was evidently a 

 failure ; for eight days afterwards, on the 13th of June, I found that a third 

 nest had been built near an island about fifteen yards from the bank, and 

 one of the birds was sitting upon it. Only on one other occasion have I 

 ever seen the eggs left uncovered, which makes mc think that the bird 

 only covers her eggs when she is driven from the nest. I once disturbed 

 a Dabchick and her four young from the nest. They all dived away and 

 disappeared in different directions, and when the young birds came up the 

 parent swam alongside of them, and they scrambled under her wings, which 

 she held up for the purpose. She then dived away, carrying with her the 

 young birds, which might have been two or three days old.^' 



The number of eggs varies from three to six, but four or five is the 

 usual clutch. They are somewhat rough in texture, without much gloss, 

 and frequently tapered equally at both ends. "When fresh laid they are 

 dull white, but soon become stained a dirty buff, and always look green 

 through the hole when held uj) to the light. They vary in length from 

 1-55 to 1*3 inch, and in breadth from 1"1 to "9 inch. They cannot be mis- 

 taken for the eggs of any other British bird. They are always smaller 

 than eggs of the Sclavonian Grebe; if one measurement equals the mini- 

 mum of that of the latter species, the other always falls short of it. 



As soon as the young are hatched they can swim with ease, and at the 

 end of a weqk have mastered the art of diving, and arc well able to take 

 care of themselves. 



The Little Grebe is less than half the weight of its nearest British allies, 

 and is not nearly so large as a Teal. The adult male in nuptial plumage 

 is dark brown, almost black, on the upper parts, except the quill-feathers, 

 which are brown, and a varying amount of white on the secondaries ; the 

 chin, extending sometimes to the upper throat and underneath the eye, 

 is black; the rest of the throat, the sides of the head, and the fore neck 

 arc chestnut ; the remainder of the underparts are brownish black, except 

 the axillaries and under wing-coverts, which arc nearly pure white. Bill 

 black, with a yellow-white tip, and greenish yellow at the angle of the 

 mouth; bare space between the eye and the base of the bill blackish ; legs 

 and feet olive-green, paler on the webs ; irides hazel. The female is slightly 

 smaller and not quite so dark-coloured as the male. After the autim^n 

 moult the general colour is brown, shading into white on the chin, ui)per 

 throat, lower breast, and belly. Young in first plumage closely resemble 

 adults in winter plumage, but arc a triHe paler on the upper parts, and the 



