COLYMBIDJ3. 533 



In a wild state the food of the Little Grebe con- 

 sists of small fish, aquatic insects, and some veget- 

 able substances. The one that migrated into my 

 pond was constantly jumping from the water to pick 

 insects from overhanging branches of laurel and 

 other shrubs. As is usual with the rest of the 

 Grebes, feathers are constantly found in the stomach 

 of the present species. 



The nest is a tolerably large structure of aquatic 

 plants, placed in the water amongst reeds, rushes and 

 coarse herbage. 



The adult bird in summer has the " bill black, the 

 tip of white horn ; irides reddish brown ; the head, 

 back of the neck and all the upper surface of the 

 body very dark brown, almost black ; the secondary 

 quills white ; the chin black ; cheeks, sides and front 

 of the upper part of the neck reddish chesnut ; under 

 surface of the body dull greyish white, the sides 

 under the wings and the flanks dusky brown ; legs 

 and toes dark greenish brown."* One in my col- 

 lection in winter plumage has the head, back of the 

 neck, back and scapulars very dark olive- brown, with 

 a dark streak on the shaft of each feather; wing- 

 coverts dark dusky ; quills a shade lighter, those 

 nearest to the secondaries inclining to white ; the 

 sides of the face, ear-coverts and neck pale rusty 

 brown; chin white; breast clouded; belly white; 



* Yarrell, vol. iii., p. 426. 



2 z 3 



