COURTSHIP OF TIE GREAT CRESTED GREBE. 55D 
of small fish, for when they dive for food close in shore one often 
sees swarms of little silvery fish spring into the air all round. 
2. Relations with birds of other species. 
When a Grebe is on the nest, it resents the too close proximity 
of other birds. One hen that I saw sitting was twice annoyed by 
Moorhens coming too close; she raised herself from the resting 
position, bent her neck forward, and definitely (though rather 
shghtly—about to the ‘‘ half pear- shaped position”) erected her 
ruff (I am doubtful as to her “ ears”). Once she was silent, but 
once she gave a low rasping note. On this the Moorhens 
retreated. 
This same hen was also roused from her snoozing by the call 
of a Coot near by; their sleep on the nest must be very light. 
Onee, on the open water, I saw a hen Tufted Duck happen to 
come close by a Grebe. The Grebe, strange to say, seemed 
greatly alarmed, flapped off for some yards, and dived, regaining 
ealm again when the surface was regained at a safe distance. 
When neither bird is sitting, the Grebes’ nests and platforms are 
often ascended by other birds. Several times I have seen Moor- 
hens climb on to nests with covered eggs, peck about for food, 
and swim off. On what was probably a pairing-platform I once 
or twice saw a pair of Wild Duck, and several times a pair of 
Shovellers ; they were enjoying a comfortable nap ! 
On one occasion a Maliard was seen on a nest: a Grebe came 
along with a mouthful of weed for the nest, and at its approach the 
intruder hastily got off; the Grebe, bower. , pursued him for three 
or four yards, before turning and laying the weed on the nest. 
3. The Grebe essentially diurnal. 
In the spring of 1911 I had been on the Welsh coast, where 
> there was an abundance of shore-birds. Of these, certainly the 
Redshank, Sheldrake, and Curlew (and very likely others) seemed 
to be as wakeful by night as by day, and the special and unmis- 
takable courtship-notes of the first two species were heard all 
night long, especially on moonlight nights. 
My brother and I each slept out a night at the reservoirs to see 
whether the Grebes behaved in a similar way. During the dark 
hours, however, there was nothing to be seen or heard of the 
ines. In the early morning, at the first faint showing of the 
false dawn, a few Grebes began to call, and various other birds, 
too, showed signs of activity. Unfortunately, between this and 
actual sunrise I fell asleep again. My brother, however, watched 
the whole period without noting anything of interest. Pyeraft 
(11) finds the same hold good in September. Selous (’01) says 
that, like many other birds, the Grebe is most active in the first 
hour or two after it has become light. 
The Crested Grebe is thus a pur ely diurnal species : such birds 
as Owls and Nightjars are purely nocturnal (or perhaps late- 
Proc. Zoou. Soc.—1914, No. XX XIX, 39 
