OUR RARER BRITISH BREEDING BIRDS. 37 



stomachs of adult birds of this species. Possibly 

 the habit may be thus formed, and then continued. 



GREBE, LITTLE. 



(Dabchick.) 



THE Little Grebe is not nearly so rare as the 

 casual observer might fancy. It generally manages 

 to elude all but the keenest eyes by its retiring 

 habits, and the promptitude with which it can 

 dive and be gone without leaving the trace of a 

 ripple behind, as soon as it discovers the approach 

 of an intruder to its haunts. 



As a rule it inhabits smaller bodies of water 

 than the Great Crested Grebe, and we have met 

 with its nest in old dykes and quite little 

 ponds. The structure consists of dead and de- 

 caying aquatic plants, and is generally hidden 

 amongst reeds, rushes, or whatever else growing 

 in water will afford it fairly effectual shelter. For 

 the size of the builder the nest is large, and 

 oftener than not floats like a tiny reed-locked 

 raft. It is flat-topped, and such an inconspicuous 

 amount of it rises above the surface of the water, 

 that nine hundred and ninety-nine people out of 

 every thousand taken out of the street, would 

 adjudge it to be a mere accidental collection of 

 drifted weeds. Every particle of it is thoroughly 

 soaked, and I have seen the eggs lying half-buried 

 in water when their covering of rotten reeds and 

 rushes has been removed. 



The eggs number from four to six, or even 

 seven. They are white when first laid, but soon 

 become discoloured by contact with the mother's 



