COURTSHIP OF THE GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 553 
This pair is also interesting in various ways. The “ back-to- 
back’”’ position was never seen in any other birds. Here, too, the 
pair itself and both the individual birds of the pair had well- 
marked idiosynerasies. ‘The very frequent bouts of shaking, the 
several ‘ flirtations” of the cock, and the fact that the cock 
brought weeds up three times (the hen not at all) are all worthy 
of note. The twice-repeated dropping of the weed just before 
the cock reached the hen is very curious; perhaps the hen’s 
having no weed had something to do with it. 
Once more, too, it is seen that all these emotional actions may 
take place far from the nest, and so without any direct relation 
to the act of pairing. 
13. April18. 2.50-3.35 p.m. 
Two birds, one certainly a cock, the other doubtful, were 
swimming about and fishing, 10 to 30 yards apart. Each 
frequently went into the Dundreary attitude and barked, 
apparently at the other, the obvious cock less frequently. Once 
the doubtful bird dived and came up a dozen yards or so from the 
other; both advanced a couple of yards, stopped, regarded each 
other for some moments (rather fiercely, it seemed to me), and 
then retreated. I watched them for three-quarters of an hour, 
and their general behaviour was the same throughout, except 
that they ‘‘ Dundrearied ” less frequently as time went on. 
I do not understand the relation between these two birds. I 
think it was a hostile one; possibly they were two cocks on the 
borders of their respective territories and jealous of their 
_ frontier rights. 
14. April19. 6.30-6.40 p.m. Close to the reeds. 
Here was a curious little “‘ domestic drama” :— 
A. pair was swimming about together, and a solitary hen with 
a very small ruff was not far off. She was obviously very much 
wanting some emotional excitement, for she kept on swimming 
up towards the cock, especially when the other and ‘“ rightful” 
hen was some way off. ‘he lone bird would swim up to within 
three or four yards, eagerly, yet nervously, then turn and go off 
as if frightened. The cock was rather indifferent ; once or twice 
he began swimming after her, but never got far. Once he was 
left mid-way between the two hens, and behaved exactly like the 
legendary Ass between the two equidistant bundles of hay. He 
looked first one way, then the other, back and forth, back and 
forth. At length his mate came a bit nearer, and he at once 
turned and swam towards her. 
At length the cock’s mate dived: the ‘“‘ wrong” hen at once 
dived too, and when she came up found the other hen between 
herself and the cock. After a minute or so she approached again, 
and this time all three birds dived several times, and finally the 
single bird was driven right away. 
