Natural History 421 



panion, the Coot. Yet it nests often in a perilous position. You 

 may seek for the nest either among the rushes and flags at the 

 border of a stream or on the long willow branches that stretch 

 out close to the surface of the water, if they are not touching it. 

 Country folk believe that in every normal year there is a May 

 flood, and when that comes the water very frequently lifts the 

 nest of the Waterhen out of its mooring and carries it down- 

 stream. The faithful bird will go a long distance in its curious 

 little ship, but is compelled to vacate it at last, as such floods 

 carry down the branches of trees, trunks that have been lying 

 on the bank, and a great deal of miscellaneous debris capable of 

 wrecking the poor craft. Not that the Waterhen is likely to 

 suffer personal injury, as she will dive into the strongest running 

 stream and escape scatheless. 



The Grebes 



The Little Grebe is to be met with on inland waters all the 

 year round. In winter it resorts to rivers and larger bodies of 

 water, when the small ponds beside which it often nests are apt 

 to be frozen over. Its supreme accomplishment is that of diving 

 and hiding itself among the stems of waterplants or other cover. 

 It must, of course, come up, but it is amusing to notice the length 

 of time it will remain under the water, and the distance it will 

 often travel before it makes a second appearance. The Great 

 Crested Grebe is one of the stateliest and most beautiful of our 

 inland water birds. 



Visitors from the Sea 



One of the most beautiful sights to be seen in this country 

 is that of a colony of Blackheaded Gulls nesting beside a lake 

 or in swampy places far away from the sea-coast and estuaries 

 where they may be found in winter searching for small fishes or 

 other food cast up by the tide. In days of old their eggs were 

 prized as food, and even the young were taken, but the modern 



