VOL. xni.] THE BLACK-NECKED GREBE. 151 



followed, for if I did it would not be published ! During the 

 day I made many attempts to attract the attention of the 

 keeper by shouting, and each time I did this, the two Black- 

 necked Grebes left the reeds opposite the boat and seemed 

 very concerned. I knew by this that the nest was close 

 at hand, but as the reeds were so dense it seemed an almost 

 hopeless task tc find it. The keeper arrived at length, 

 and we spent about two hours in searching for the nest, 

 with no result. The following morning we again searched, 

 and found another Grebe's nest about four yards from the 

 Dabchick's containing three eggs. On comparing these 

 with those of the Little Grebe, they were found to be 

 slightly larger, and the nest itself was certainly larger, being 

 half as large again. By just swerving my punt slightly, we 

 got it in position, and on June 14th I again entered my hide, 

 being all ready at 10 a.m. 



Exactly at 10-15 the hen Black-necked Grebe arrived, 

 showing not the slightest concern at the reeds being cut 

 between her nest and my boat, and she leisurely went to 

 her nest and carefully uncovered her eggs, then settled 

 down. She had not been sitting many minutes when the 

 Dabchick arrived, coming up close to the nest. Instantly 

 the Black-necked Grebe was on the alert, she stood up on 

 her nest, hurriedly covered her eggs, and made a low growling 

 noise like " zur-zur-zur " repeated many times. The Dab- 

 chick jumped on tc the nest and a desperate battle of beaks 

 and wings took place. The Dabchick caught its opponent's 

 beak in her own, slipped back off the nest, endeavouring 

 to pull the bird above her into the water. She almost 

 succeeded in this, and actually had the Black-necked Grebe's 

 head undei, when the latter freed itself, and made a violent 

 dash at the enemy, and succeeded in driving it away. For 

 several minutes she sat on her nest looking very fierce, and 

 turning her head in all directions, and not until she was 

 quite sure that the Dabchick had left did she settle down. 



At 11-15 the male arrived, bringing with him a beakful 

 of nesting material, which he handed to his mate. She placed 

 it in position, left the eggs, and immediately swam away. 



