By River and Pool. 195 



Wagtails are familiar objects on the towing-path; 

 whilst among the vegetation near the water the 

 Sedge Warbler has its summer home. This latter bird 

 arrives here in April and leaves again in September. 

 The Reed Warbler is much more local in Yorkshire, 

 although it is known to breed at Hornsea Mere and 

 one or two other places. In the back-waters of the 

 canals, amongst the reeds and flags, both Coots and 

 Moorhens have their residence, whilst the Little 

 Grebe, if not quite so familiar, owing to its more 

 skulking habits, is by no means rare. It is rather 

 surprising what small pools of water will in some 

 cases content a pair of these amusing little birds, 

 whilst it is equally noteworthy how often this species 

 is entirely overlooked. Possibly their alertness and 

 partiality for cover to some extent explains it. Least 

 showy, as they are the smallest, of all the British 

 Grebes, they are often mistaken for a rat or even 

 a fish; certainly they are as much at home in the 

 water as the latter. Towards the end of March 

 they build a bulky floating nest among the flags and 

 rushes, composed of dead and rotten stalks matted 

 and heaped together, the half-dozen white eggs 

 (stained brown almost as soon as laid) resting in a 

 shallow hollow at the top. The marvellous celerity 

 with which the sitting bird covers her eggs with 

 weed when the nest is approached must be familiar 

 to every bird's-nester. A great many of the chicks 



