GREBE. NATATORES. PODICEPS. 403 



to conceal themselves among the fronds of the algae, rarely 

 attempting to escape by flight. They are, however, by no 

 means destitute of this power, but can skim near to the sur- 

 face of the water by a rapid action of the wings, and, as 

 MONTAGU observes, are frequently seen to do so during the 

 pairing season, when the males are in pursuit of the other 

 sex. This, like the others of its genus, breeds among the 

 reeds and coarse herbage of the waters it inhabits, and (ac- 

 cording to Dr RENNIE, who appears to have inspected many 

 of them) generally so fixes its nest to the surrounding tufts, Nest, &c. 

 or upon the vegetable debris of former years, as to render it 

 secure, and not liable to be moved or acted on by the water. 

 TEMMINCK, however, says, that it makes a floating nest ; his 

 words are " Nid flottant dans les roseaux," and other au- 

 thors have asserted the same. Both modes, I believe, are 

 occasionally adopted, and are dependent upon the nature of 

 the site that the bird happens to select. It is formed of a 

 large mass of decayed roots, flags, and other herbage ; and 

 contains usually five or six eggs of a greenish- white, in size 

 nearly equalling those of the Spotted Crake (Crex Porzand), 

 but different in form, each end being similarly rounded. 

 These the female, when she quits her nest to obtain food, 

 covers over with loose materials, a habit possessed by many 

 other birds, and probably by all the species of the present 

 genus, apparently for the concealment and protection of the 

 eggs, and not for the purpose of retaining the warmth of in- 

 cubation, as suggested by Dr RENNIE, in his plan of study 

 appended to his edition of MONTAGU'S Ornithological Dic- 

 tionary. 



PLATE 75. Fig. 1. Represents the Adult bird, or in the state 

 of the Black-Chin Grebe of PENNANT and other au- 

 thors. 



Bill five-eighths of an inch in length from the forehead to General 

 the tip, black, with the basal part and the lore greyish- 

 white. Irides deep reddish-brown. Outside of the legs 



c c 2 



