298 COLYMBID.E. 



Of the true Divers among our British Birds the Grebes 

 and Dabchicks belong to that division wliich more particu- 

 larly frequent fresh water, and the Great-crested Grebe, the 

 largest of the genus, is resident all the year in several parts 

 of this country, which afford extensive surfaces of water, partly 

 overgrown with reeds and other luxuriant aquatic vegeta- 

 tion, in which they find the required security. They breed, 

 and remain all the year, or by far the greater part of it, on 

 some of the lahes of Wales, on the meres of Shropshire and 

 Cheshire ; on the broads of Norfolk, and in the fens of 

 Lincolnshire. They are seldom seen to fly or walk. Their 

 wings are short and small, and the thighs and legs placed so 

 far behind the centre of gravity, and so closely attached to 

 the posterior part of their body, that they sit upright on 

 the whole length of the tarsus, and their walk is constrained. 

 If the bird is seen on land it is generally close to the edge 

 of the water, into which, if disturbed, it passes with little 

 or no noise to attract observation. They are mostly seen 

 on the water ; the form of the whole bird being that of an 

 elongated cone, is admirably adapted for diving, and their 

 habits can only be observed by those who live in the vicinity 

 of their favourite pools. 



I have been favoured by the Rev. Richard Lubbock with 

 notes on the habits of some of the various divers, as ob- 

 served on the broads of Norfolk, where the Great-crested 

 Grebe is called a Loon, and of which species it is stated 

 that they are persecuted from a double motive ; for the 

 beauty of their plumage, and because they are considered 

 to be enemies to fish. A pair or two are to be found on 

 most of the extensive pools during spring, summer, and 

 autumn, but they move over towards the arms of the sea as 

 winter approaches, not remaining to be frozen out, and return 

 early in spring. The nest is frequently built in an exposed 

 situation, before the young reeds have sprouted sufficiently 



