140 EAEED & LITTLE GREBES. 



EAKED on BLACK-NECKED GKEBE 



(Podicipes nigricollis). 



An irregular visitor, usually in spring, to the southern and 

 eastern districts of England. It may possibly breed sometimes 

 in the eastern counties. It is a southern species. In breeding 

 plumage it has a tuft of straw-coloured feathers on the head, 

 and a small ruff. These ornaments are lost in winter. Upper 

 parts dark brown ; secondaries white. Breast and belly white ; 

 flanks dull chestnut. Length 12 in. In habits and food it re- 

 sembles the other Grebes. 



LITTLE GKEBE OB DABCHICK (Podicipes Jluviatilis). 



Kesident. Widely distributed in these islands, wherever 

 there are large ponds, lakes, meres, and sluggish-flowing rivers. 



Plumage. Head, back of neck, and upper parts dark brown. 

 Cheek, throat, and sides of neck chestnut ; under parts grey- 

 ish white, browner on the flanks. Bill horn-colour. Legs and 

 toes dull green. Length 9 in. Female similar, but slightly 

 smaller. In winter the chin is white, and the general appear- 

 ance is paler. Young : duller than adults, streaked with dusky 

 on sides of head. Nestling : covered with down ; black on head, 

 neck, and upper parts, striped with rufous ; under parts white. 



Language. Usually rather silent. In the breeding season 

 it utters a rapid chattering cry like " weet," many times re- 

 peated. 



Habits. Exceedingly wary, it at once dives for safety if 

 alarmed, taking, if need be, its young ones down with it under 

 the wings. It dives with wonderful abruptness, pursuing fishes 

 under water with remarkable celerity. It seldom flies, but 

 when it does so it skims along just over the surface of the water 

 with rapidly beating wings. Its nest is moored to some reeds or 

 the like, and only just projects above the water, consequently 

 it is simply steeped in water. The eggs are always covered over 

 with wet weeds by the bird before leaving the nest. 



Nest. Early May onwards. Two broods. 



Site. Moored among rushes or reeds. 



Materials. Eotting aquatic herbage of some kind, piled to- 

 gether and roughly worked into shape. 



Eggs. Three to six. Chalky white when newly laid, but 

 they soon become discoloured and muddied to a dirty brown ; 

 in shape oval, and more or less equally pointed at either end. 



