176 THE NATURALIST IN NOEWAY. 



common in the central and southern parts of this 

 country, but is not found in the extreme north. The 

 nest is made in a floating mass of reeds, and contains 

 four white eggs, which soon become stained by the de- 

 cayed vegetable matter with which the bird covers 

 them. According to Nils son, the nest is made of 

 floating bulrushes (Scirpus lacustris) and other water 

 plants -, it is fastened to the reeds in such a manner 

 that it cannot be carried off by the winds. The upper 

 part of the nest is flat, and the eggs are found towards 

 the end of July or in the beginning of August. When 

 the female sees any person approaching the nest, she 

 covers the eggs with broken rushes or grass, and 

 dives to the bottom of the water, coming up to breathe 

 at a considerable distance, by which she deceives 

 strangers as to the position of the nest. When the 

 young birds take to the water, the mother shelters 

 them under her wings when danger is apprehended. 

 It is called in Norway hvidstrubet dykker, or white- 

 throated diver. Migrates in October. 



The red-crested grebe (P. rubricollis) . This species, 

 which is called in Norway graastrubet dyltker, or gray- 

 throated diver, is by no means so common as the pre- 

 ceding. It is, however, frequently seen in the south 

 of Norway, whence it migrates in September. 



The Sclavonian grebe (P. cornutus) is found in all 

 likely localities in this country. It is often seen on the 

 Christiania-fjord, but arrives later and migrates earlier 

 than the preceding. Mr. Lloyd asserts that birds of 

 this species remain in Denmark during mild winters. 



The P. ardicus, Boie. This bird appears to be the 

 Sclavonian grebe in its autumn plumage. At a meeting 

 of the Academy of Sciences, held at Stockholm, in 1849, 



