34 OUR RARER BRITISH BREEDING BIRDS. 



The eggs, varying from six to twelve in 

 number, are creamy white and smooth, and the 

 down tufts large and greyish- white, without paler 

 centres or tips. 



GREBE, GREAT CRESTED. 



THE long cone-like shape of the body of this bird 

 when seen swimming in the water, and its beautiful 

 crest, render its recognition an easy task, especially 

 to the observer endowed with a moderately power- 

 ful pair of field-glasses. 



There is every reason to hope that, in spite of 

 persecution and the increased precision of firearms, 

 the species is on the increase rather than decline ; 

 and it is an exceedingly pleasant duty to be able 

 to chronicle the fact that it has been successful in 

 establishing a breeding-haunt on a private piece 

 of water as near London as Eedhill, and that last 

 summer a pair brought off their young in one of 

 the lakes in Eichmond Park. 



We have seen and photographed its nest and' 

 eggs on several occasions on the Norfolk Broads, 

 and Lord Walsingharn's meres at Merton. The 

 accompanying illustration was secured from an 

 open boat at the latter place. As we approached 

 the spot where the nest was situated, we heard 

 one of the birds to which it belonged utter a 

 harsh, croaking note, and found that the eggs had 

 been left in too great a hurry to admit of their 

 being covered over. 



The nest is a sort of sodden pad composed of 

 half-rotten aquatic plants, resting on the bottom 

 where the water is shallow, but more generally a 

 floating raft-like affair kept in its position by the 



