PLATE I 

 GREAT CRESTED GREBE. Podicipes cristatus 



May i6///, 1897. This nest was photographed on Hickling Broad among 

 tall bulrushes ; the three eggs were quite fresh, and were not covered when 

 we found the nest. I had no opportunity of watching the birds at the nest 

 at that time, but quote the following from my journal regarding a nest in 

 the valley of the Forth : 



On the 25th April 1896, I was rewarded by seeing a fine male Great 

 Crested Grebe in full breeding plumage diving about near a large reed-bed in the 

 north-east end of the lake. He was very tame, and allowed me to row within 

 thirty yards of him without paying the slightest attention to me, so that I 

 had ample leisure to admire him through my glasses. I failed, however, to 

 find the nest that day. 



On the morning of the 29th I started early to find the nest, as I was 

 quite sure that the female was sitting on eggs not far off. I commenced 

 operations by beating up the, reed-bed. As I came close to a swan's nest 

 among the reeds I saw a tell-tale ripple and line of bubbles running out 

 from a point of reeds, just like some large pike making off to the deep water, 

 and to my delight the female Grebe appeared about seventy yards off. In 

 less than three minutes I found the nest. It was rather an insignificant- 

 looking pile of dead reed stems, half-decayed weeds, and pieces of young 

 water-lily leaves the latter evidently freshly plucked, floating in about 

 two feet of water among the tall reeds, and anchored to them. It contained 

 two perfectly fresh eggs, which were carefully covered up, and felt quite 

 warm. The day was bright, but rather windy, so I did not try to photograph 

 the nest, but devoted my attention to watching the birds. 



After disposing of my boat at a little distance, I waded in among the 

 reeds and secreted myself behind a thick clump about fifteen yards from the 

 nest I could see the two Grebes out in the open about eighty yards off; 

 they sat low in the water, and swam about at a great pace. The male would 

 occasionally swim round and round his mate, ducking his head and bobbing 



it up and down, every now and then striking the water with a single stroke 



119 



