THE CRESTED GREBE. 257 



his head from side to side, as if to be upon his guard 

 against an enemy. I had arrived at the place, and 

 the hird was approaching. Now and then, as he 

 came on, he stretched his long neck, for several 

 seconds, under the water, looking for small fish; 

 and when he had nothing better to do, he turned his 

 head round, in order to tickle his tail with his bill. 

 Watching the moment when he was so engaged, I 

 fired, at the distance of thirty yards. My gun went 

 quick as lightning, but the Grebe went quicker, and 

 scrambling over, out of sight, came up again in a 

 few seconds, perfectly unhurt." 



The skins of these birds, from their beautifully 

 soft and silky texture, make valuable tippets for 

 ladies ; and form an article of trade from North 

 America, and other countries where they abound. 

 They are chiefly taken by the Indians, who contrive 

 to kill them at great distances, using a large quan- 

 tity of powder and very little shot; and they have 

 also a way of enticing them by a particular call, and 

 a red rag at the end of a stick methods which they 

 practise with great success. 



One of the most common in our country, and at 

 the same time, one of the most beautiful, is the 

 Crested Grebe (Colymbus crisiatiis), of whose head 

 we have given a figure (see vol. i., p. 87). The 

 bird has the power of moving the sort of shawl, or 

 tippet, round its neck, as well as the two tufts or 

 crests on its head, which, when erected, appear like 

 two horns. This species, as well as some others, 

 such as the Sea-Lark, already mentioned '"", when 

 alarmed, carries off its young under the wing. We 

 * Vol. ii., p. 153. 



VOL. II. S 



