138 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES. 



water in company with the Moorhen, although it 

 is not so generally dispersed. The province of 

 the Little Grebe in fact, of all the Grebes \spar 

 excellence the water. It may be said to pass most 

 of its waking hours therein ; and consequently is 

 skilful beyond description in the art of swimming 

 and diving. The Little Grebe is readily dis- 

 tinguished from the other Grebes by its small size, 

 and from all other birds by its peculiar satin-like 

 plumage and lobed feet. It is a restless little 

 creature enough, swimming to and fro, and every 

 now and then darting beneath the surface in the 

 twinkling of an eye, reappearing again in a few 

 moments with the water rolling off its compact 

 plumage in silver beads. Although its legs are 

 placed so far backwards, it is able to run about 

 the land with considerable dexterity, and makes 

 its way through the tangled aquatic vegetation 

 with surprising speed. Like the Moorhen it is 

 closely attached to its haunt, never wandering 

 far away unless driven out by continued frost. 

 At such times these birds make towards the 

 coast, where in the brackish backwaters, drains, 

 and broads they can find sufficient food. Their 

 numbers are also increased in winter by birds 

 from more northern lands. The note of this 

 engaging bird is a shrill weet or tweet. The 

 Little Grebe makes its bulky nest among the 

 flags and rushes, often some distance from shore, 

 early in the spring. This is a mass of aquatic 

 rubbish piled together into a conical heap, at the 

 top of which a hollow is formed and lined with 

 finer and drier materials. In this, about the end 

 of April, the hen - bird lays four or five eggs, 



