42 



mainly of fish, insects and vegetable matter. The rather large nest is 

 made of reeds and decaying weeds, interwoven with and anchored 

 by some aquatic plant or shrub. Four to six creamy- white eggs are 

 laid, which soon become stained by contact with the damp vegetable 

 matter of the nest (see British Bird Egg Cabinet, drawer 24). The 

 Little Grebe has a habit of covering her eggs when leaving the nest 

 with water weeds and ru'^jhes, so adding continuously to the bulk of 

 the nest. In winter the chestnut colouring of the side of the neck and 

 head is replaced by uniform white, and the crown is brown and the 

 irnder parts of the body much paler. 



WATER-RAIL {Rallus aquaticus). 



This species may be regarded as a resident, for though some of our 

 native birds move southwards in autumn, their place is taken by 

 others from the Continent. It frequents marshy districts and its 

 principal food consists of worms, molluscs and aquatic plants. The 

 nest is well concealed among rushes or coarse herbage, and the material 

 of which it is made, flat leaves of reeds and sedges, harmonises well 

 with its surroundings. Seven to eleven eggs are laid, and they are pale 

 creamy-white, spotted with reddish-brown and ash-grey (see British 

 Bird Egg Cabinet, drawer 19). The young when first hatched, are 

 covered with black down, and two broods are reared in a season. 



Case 216. 



RED-THROATED DIVER {Colymhus septentrionalis). 



Adult birds of this species with the white throat characteristic of 

 the winter plumage, are commonly met with in the winter on all our 

 coasts. The only places in which it is known to breed in the British 

 Islands are the north of Ireland and in parts of Scotland. The female 

 is rather smaller than the male, but in plumage is almost similar. 

 This species prefers small lochs and pools for nesting, and is seldom 

 seen on the larger lochs except in search of fish on which it mainly 

 feeds. The large olive-brown eggs, spotted with dark brown (see 

 British Bird Egg Cabinet, drawer 24) are laid on the bare and often 

 wet ground, close to the water's edge. The male shares the duties of 

 incubation. 



Case 217. 



BLACK-THROATED DIVER {Colymhus arcticus). 



An annual winter visitor in small numbers to this district, but 

 tolerably common during the breeding season about the larger lochs of 

 the north and west of Scotland. In winter the plumage is entirely 



