234 Animal Life 
To sce the little grebe 
at home we must go to 
one of the higher lakes. 
Swallows are gliding over 
the surface, the snap of 
their beaks as they take 
in a fly bemg distinctly 
heard. Martins with their 
ke = ; white rumps follow the 
DABCHICK SITTING ON NEST. Swallows, and “dip” every 
now and then to take an 
insect from the water. On one side of the small lake is a rookery. Young rooks are 
The Haunt Callimg and clamouring for food, and as the old birds approach with 
of the supplies of delicacies, the youngsters are in danger of toppling out of their 
Little Grebe. },omes in their eagerness to get the first bite. A blackcap gives out his 
loud, mellow notes from near his nest; and a chorus of other bird music greets our 
ears aS we wander round this picturesque stretch of water. Hach tree has its music: 
thrushes sing from the elms; the cco-coo of ring-doves comes from the cedars. The 
bushes are made charming with the notes of warblers—blackcaps, whitethroats, and 
willow-wrens. A chiff-chaff calls merrily from an ash; and near are a pam of goldcrests. 
This lake, with the spring sunbeams playing on its surface and the music all round 
about, is the home of the little e@rebe or dabchick. These birds love quietness; here 
is solitude as well as perfect harmony. We now know something about the bird’s 
haunt; we will therefore watch the dabchick at home. 
There is a ripple on the water, only a slight disturbance; the widening 1ings 
expand and the pond is soon still again. But watch the surface once more; the 
water is disturbed, and we see just the head and neck of a bird. The grebe quickly 
elances round, then 
dives, and a tew 
seconds later is up 
again to swim  to- 
wards the water- 
ranunculus, then, 
diving, we lose sight 
of him. ‘This is the 
male; his mate 1s 
sitting on her five 
eggs by the water's 
edge, and if we watch 
the small bush under 
which she is sitting, 
we shall see the male 
rise there or near the 
spot. He comes up 
a few feet to the 
right, swims under a 
clump of rushes, and 
takes another look 
round. Seeing that 
there is no danger, 
Bs ly = ke | 
DABCHICK ENTERING NEST. 
he swims towards the DABCHICK $ NES'l COVERED, DABCHICK’S NEST UNCOVERED. 
