VOL. xni.] THE BLACK-NECKED GREBE. 153 



placing it immediately in front, much to my annoyance, as 

 a large object like this right across the front of the nest would 

 look an ugly object in a photograph, coming out as it did a 

 vivid white. 



At 4.20 he arrived again, to take his turn at sitting, and 

 gave me much pleasure by removing the objectionable reed 

 blade to the other side of the nest. He still showed signs of 

 boredom, and slept a good part of th? time. I left my hide 

 at 6 p.m. 



On June 17th, I was again in my hide, being ready for 

 photogiaphy at 11 a.m. At 11. 15 the female had returnad. 

 She was a great contrast to her mate, as she constantly 

 turned her eggs, and showed the utmost care, and was on the 

 alert the whole time. The male arrived at 12.25. He brought 

 with him some nesting material, handed this to his mate, 

 quickly dived and brought more, the energy he showed in 

 presenting the=e gift? to his mate looked as if he thought that 

 if he offered enough, he might be let off his task ! However, 

 the hen left her eggs, and he took his turn. After this change, 

 the hen added to the nest, swimming into the reeds and 

 bringing back a beakful of water weeds. When she was 

 sitting on the eggs, this often added mate.-ial was carefully 

 placsd on the edge of the nest, no doubt to be ready foi 

 covering up her eggs. When covering them, she was far 

 more deliberate than the Dabchick, and after covering them, 

 she did not dive but always swam off, and waited not far 

 away in the reeds. 



The female returned to take charga at 4.35 and remained 

 on the nest until I left at 6 p.m. 



The first egg hatched on June 20th. As the hen left the 

 open water and remained in the reeds on May 30, I presumed 

 that she began to sit on that date on the first egg laid, showing 

 that incubation lasts twenty-one days. At this period the 

 whole appearance of the nest altered, and from being a loose, 

 rather untidy structure, it was turned into a lound saucer- 

 shaped nest, with perfectly smooth sieves, while the inside was 

 also smooth. So compact was it, that at a short distance it 

 looked as if it might be cut out of stone. Also when the sitting 



