166 BRITISH ‘SEA: BIRDS. 
GREAT CRESTED GREBE. 
This, the largest species, the Podzczpes cristatus 
of naturalists, is chiefly an inland bird, but resorts 
to the sea when fresh waters are frozen. I have 
sometimes met with half a dozen together in a 
quiet bay, under these circumstances, and very 
graceful interesting birds they are. They rarely 
come upon the land at these times, swimming about 
and diving from time to time in quest of food. 
Like the Divers, they sometimes sink the body very 
low in the water, but under ordinary conditions sit 
rather high, with the long neck held well up, the 
head turned at intervals in all directions as if on the 
look out for enemies. They always prefer to dive 
when pursued ; and as this species more especially 
is in great demand by plumasiers, and subject to 
much persecution, it is wary and shy in extreme. 
The food of this Grebe whilst on the sea is com- 
posed largely of fish, but inland the bird’s tastes 
are more omnivorous. Sometimes many of its own 
feathers are found in its stomach, mixed with the 
food, but as yet ornithologists have been unable to 
assign any plausible explanation of the fact. In 
Spring, the adults assume two very conspicuous 
crests or horns of a dark brown colour, and a tippet 
or ruff of bright bay, shading into nearly black on 
the margin. The birds now retire inland to meres 
and lakes, where the shallows are full of reeds, 
sedges, rushes, and other aquatic vegetation, and 
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