GREBE. NATATORES. PODICEPS. 403 
to conceal themselves among the fronds of the alge, rarely 
attempting to escape by flight. 'They are, however, by no 
means destitute of this power, but can skim near to the sur- 
face of the water by a rapid action of the wings, and, as 
Monracu observes, are frequently seen to do so during the 
pairing season, when the males are in pursuit of the other 
sex. This, like the others of its genus, breeds among the 
reeds and coarse herbage of the waters it inhabits, and (ac- 
cording to Dr Rennir, who appears to have inspected many 
of them) generally so fixes its nest to the surrounding tufts, 
or upon the vegetable debris of former years, as to render it 
secure, and not liable to be moved or acted on by the water. 
Temminck, however, says, that it makes a floating nest ; his 
words are—‘ Nid flottant dans les roseaux,” and other au- 
thors have asserted the same. Both modes, I believe, are 
occasionally adopted, and are dependent upon the nature of 
the site that the bird happens to select. It is formed of a 
large mass of decayed roots, flags, and other herbage ; and 
contains usually five or six eggs of a greenish-white, in size 
nearly equalling those of the Spotted Crake (Crea Porzana), 
but different in form, each end being similarly rounded. 
These the female, when she quits her nest to obtain food, 
covers over with loose materials, a habit possessed by many 
other birds, and probably by all the species of the present 
genus, apparently for the concealment and protection of the 
eggs, and not for the purpose of retaining the warmth of in- 
cubation, as suggested by Dr Reynte, in his plan of study 
appended to his edition of Monracou’s Ornithological Dic- 
tionary. 
Prate 75. Fig. 1. Represents the Adult bird, or in the state 
of the Black-Chin Grebe of Pennant and other au- 
thors. 
Bill five-eighths of an inch in length from the forehead to 
the tip, black, with the basal part and the lore greyish- 
white. Inrides deep reddish-brown. Outside of the legs 
ec 
Nest, &c. 
General 
descrip- 
tion. 
