THE ANGLERS SOUVENIR. 



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face then, if you approach nearer, it dives with the 

 quickness of lightning. It is quite impossible to 

 say where it will rise after its dive, for it will swim 

 under water a long way, and twist and turn aboiit 

 if followed. Its nest is simply a mass of black and 

 soaking weeds, almost level with the surface of the 

 water ; and the eggs, which are white when laid, 

 soon become stained and darkened by the decaying 

 vegetable matter. When the old bird leaves the 

 nest she carefully covers the eggs with weeds, so 

 that a casual observer would be far from suspecting 

 that that ill-shaped mass of wet weed was a nest 

 containing eggs. 



The smaller grebe or dabchick is common every- 

 where, where there are lakes, ponds, or quiet rivers. 

 In its breeding habits it is like its larger brother, 

 but it is not quite so shy ; and if you will only 

 keep quite still, you may watch it at only a few 

 yards' distance ; but if you move but a finger it 

 dives instanter, with a very little splash, and a 

 kick of its legs. If it apprehend danger, it will 

 keep under water for an incredible length of time ; 

 but if it be not much frightened, it will pop up 

 again like a cork, and shake the water off itself in 

 silvery drops. It is a very pretty sight to see a 

 pair of old birds feeding their young, in some clear 

 post between the floating vegetation. The young 

 ones are such little black dots, and the movements 

 of all of them are so quick and comical, that one 

 cannot help being interested and amused. 



