COURTSHIP OF THE GREAT CRESTED GREBE, NG 
6. Calls. 
I give a brief list of the chief calls employed by the Grebe. As 
we should expect in a bird with such a complex emotional life, 
different calls are used in different cireumstances—we have in 
them another method of expressing emotions. 
(i.) Zhe groan.—Typically, a deepish, fairly loud groaning 
sound, not guttural or rolling ; occasionally it was given on a 
somewhat higher note, and then “ rolled ” slightly. 
This is not acommon call: I only heard it coming from birds 
in the reeds. I do not know with what emotions or actions it is 
associated. 
(i1.) The bark.—This is given when one bird is searching for its 
mate (first stage of Discovery ceremony), or as an indication of 
hostility towards a bird of another pair; and, I think, on no other 
occasions : it seems, also, only to be uttered when the bird is in 
the Dundreary attitude. There are two chief variations -—_ 
(2) A loud, rolling, rather shrill and “trumpeting ” bark, 
several times repeated. 
() A much less loud bark, not so long, not shrill at all, nor 
rolling ; repeated quite quickly, but only a few times. 
(1i1.) Zhe shaking call.—This is only given during a bout of 
shaking. I believe the two are always associated (except 
perhaps at the end of very long bouts). It is especially marked 
when shaking takes place in the “ forward ” position. 
It consists in a rapid alternation of two sounds on two notes — 
a consonantal sound—4’p or #c—on the low note, and an indefinite 
vowel sound about a tone higher. 
(iv.) Zhe “ Double Trumpet.”—This is a very strange-sounding 
call, generally given from the reeds, often when near the nest. 
It is somewhat of the same timbre as the love-call of the Tufted 
Duck, but lower, louder, and more throaty—being, indeed, 
extremely guttural. 
It is composed of two halves, with a slight pause between. 
The first half is something like ah or aw, three or four times 
repeated, and rises very slightly. The second half may be repre- 
sented thus :—swaa-aa-ah: it sinks rapidly, and is as it were 
pressed out, being loudest in the middle. 
(v.) The “ Dentist-cull.”—I have given it this name as it re- 
minded me irresistibly of that rotating instrument of torture 
used by dentists for boring. Imagine the biggest burr grinding 
very stiffly for a few seconds, then suddenly running more freely 
and whirring for a little. This will give a very good idea of the 
sound: and this double sound is repeated several times. I have 
only heard it from the reeds: it often follows the “« groan.” 
(vi.) Zhe Owl call.—This very much resembles the common 
“ker-wick” of the Brown Owl, except that the initial k and w are 
not given by the Grebe. It may be repeated, and is often heard. 
Perhaps it is the simplest, least definitely emotional call-note 
(recognition-note). 
39* 
