532 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



circumstances ; but besides this one, many others of 

 these birds must have been driven that summer to 

 seek for fresh quarters, for to remain where they 

 were was to starve, as a great many even of the 

 larger pools were dried up. Very hard frosts also 

 must drive many of these birds to make expeditions 

 in search of food and water when their usual haunts 

 are frozen and snowed up, and a great many of them 

 must suffer severely at such times. 



This bird appears to be capable of being tamed 

 and kept in confinement, and of its habits in this 

 state there is the following interesting note in the 

 * Zoologist' for 1864: "I had & very large glass 

 globe with small living fish in it, and into this the 

 bird was able to go when inclined to feed. It was so 

 tame that in my presence it would dive after the fish, 

 bring them up and swallow its capture whole. It was 

 very fond of fresh meat, which it took from my hand. 

 When resting it does not place its feet upon the 

 ground, but turns them up so as to place them under 

 its wings, which it covers with its side feathers, and 

 thus entirely hides them from view : it will also rest 

 in the same manner upon the water. The Grebes 

 are generally figured as sitting erect, and I was 

 anxious to see if this bird did so, but I could not 

 discover that such was the case : it always sat with 

 its face to the ground, but when walking or running 

 its posture was nearly erect, and it proceeded along 

 with a waddling gait." 



