BIRDS UNDER WATER 151 



run, and do not rise quickly, and they travel 

 very straight, so that they must run a good 

 deal of risk from birds of prey, and it is not 

 surprising that they fly no more than they 

 can help, and generally at night. A couple of 

 years ago a great crested grebe was discovered 

 one day in one of the fountain basins at the 

 west end of the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park, 

 and there it stayed for about three days 

 before it could screw up courage to get away, 

 though the wild ducks often flew in and out. 

 I saw it go at last ; after following the ducks 

 about as if it wanted them to show it how 

 they got away so neatly, it made a slanting 

 rush and just managed to clear the edge of 

 the basin and whizz off down the lake ; but it 

 could easily have been knocked over if any 

 one had been near enough and cruel enough 

 to do such a thing, as it could hardly have 

 dodged. 



Crested grebes are now being well pro- 

 tected in England, which is a good thing, as 

 the poor birds used to be sadly persecuted, 

 and even now one sees far too many of their 

 beautiful satiny breast-skins used as ladies' 

 furs. Though grebes are found nearly all 



