LITTLE GREBE. 469 



further to the north. It is not found in the Baltic provinces of Russia. 

 To Pomerania, Denmark, and South Scandinavia it is only a summer 

 visitor, though a few are said to winter on the southern shores of Sweden. 

 It is a rare visitor to the Faroes. In Central Europe it is principally 

 known as a summer visitor, but in the basin of the Mediterranean it is a 

 resident. It is a resident in Africa south of the Desert, and in Madagascar, 

 as it is also in Abyssinia at an elevation of from 5000 to 11,000. feet. It 

 is a resident in Persia, Afghanistan, Eastern Turkestan, and North India. 

 In Southern India it only breeds on the mountains, but in Ceylon and 

 Burma it nests near the coast. It is not found in Siberia, nor is it recorded 

 from Mongolia; but it is a resident in China, Japan, the islands of the 

 Malay archipelago, and Australia. In South Australia it is partially re- 

 placed by Podiceps nestor, which ranges as far south as Tasmania; but in 

 New Zealand another species occurs, P. rufipectus. Both these species 

 may be distinguished by the white hair-like filaments on the crown. On 

 the continent of America it is replaced by P. dominions, a still more 

 distinct though very closely-allied species, differing principally in having 

 the fore part of the neck ash-grey instead of chestnut. 



The Little Grebe is quite as aquatic in its habits as its congeners, but 

 frequents, as a rule, smaller ponds and even running streams. On the 

 larger lakes it is most abundant in winter, and at that season it is found 

 on the sea-coast when the ponds are frozen. To the colder portions of its 

 range it is only a summer migrant, arriving in Denmark in April and 

 leaving again in September. It migrates by night in spring in pairs, but 

 in autumn in flocks. When pursued it always seeks refuge by diving or 

 by hiding itself in the nearest cover. It is rarely if ever seen on the wing 

 during the breeding-season ; but that its powers of flight are considerable 

 its migrations abundantly prove; and Major Legge, in his excellent work 

 on the Birds of Ceylon, mentions a flock which he saw fly for more than 

 half a mile on the Colombo Lake, mounting fully twelve feet in the air in 

 their endeavour to clear a small steamer which was crossing their course. 

 It is a most expert diver, and obtains most of its food under the surface of 

 the water ; this consists of aquatic insects of various kinds, small mol- 

 lusks, little fishes, and occasionally young frogs ; some vegetable matter is 

 also generally found in its stomach, and frequently quantities of feathers. 

 Its note is a clear plaintive weet or weet, weet. It is extremely shy, and 

 if necessary it can run away across an island or down the bank of a lake 

 with great speed. Like the Sclavonian Grebe, it often swims away with 

 its young under its wings to escape pursuit. 



In this country the Little Grebe begins to breed late in April or early 

 in May, and it is said that it often has a second brood in August. In 

 Cash mere it lays in the middle of May, but in the Punjaub August and 

 September are the favourite mouths, whilst in South Africa it probably 



