LITTLE GREBE. 361 



stomach of this bird. This is also the case with the 

 preceding species, the Great Crested Grebe ; possibly 

 they are swallowed to aid digestion. 



This bird also is very loth to take wing, always 

 preferring to escape notice by diving. It is extremely 

 shy, and will slip off its eggs and dive directly it is 

 approached, having first taken the precaution to cover 



LITTLE GREBE. 



them over with damp reeds and weeds, which it takes 

 from the sides of the nest and places over the eggs 

 with great quickness. The nests are generally floating 

 in the water, anchored to the reeds, but not often 

 built amongst them. They are composed of dank 

 reeds and water weeds, often placed quite in the open, 

 and in them, generally in early May, four or five eggs 



