o?i the Indian Podicipedidce. 67


water in the same strange position as the first. The two met

breast to breast and chattered together and sparred with their

bills. This second bird was not like the first, and still retained

the winter plumage and was probably an immature female. The

two then swam in company with each other and visited the

nesting place of last year. This was, however, covered with

water, with the exception of a few stumps of wood and reeds.

The male bird appeared, however, to recognise the place, and

dived, bringing up a bunch of weed which he offered to the

female. The two played with it for a long while, then left it.

What made the Grebe bring up this weed ? For they do not feed

on it ; it is the stuff their nests are made of. Could he have

mistaken the time of the year and thought the new nest ought to

have been commenced ? No, it was only perhaps a passing

whim, or he would not have finally left the weed. I am certain

this young bird was not the female of last year, and probably

this action, on the part of the male, of lifting the weed, was to

shew the female how and where to build the nest.


The cries of these two Grebes sounded like " Frak erak

erak ka ka' and at other times like ' Ak ah ak ah' and ' er erak

er erak' mingled with a buzzing sound. On February 28th I

again visited the place and saw the Grebes meet, shake their

heads, and indulge in the usual "spar."


When these birds are at rest the head is drawn back be-

tween the shoulders, with the bill either straight out in front or

else tucked under a wing, and usually one leg sticking out of the

water. They are constantly preening their feathers, and their

breasts shine in the sun as silver, especially that of the young

bird, which is a brighter colour than the older one, and has a

purer white breast. The time these birds remained under water

after a dive I noted was from three to five minutes. When

diving they either roll sideways under and disappear without a

ripple, or in head first. On March 5th I saw the female Grebe

was much more advanced about the head than she was a week

ago, and shewed a decidedly more bushy crest. It is remarkable

that birds of this genus come into breeding plumage so early.

They are frequently found thus long before winter is over.*


* A lengthy and comprehensive account of the nesting habits of this species,

by Mr. E. Selous, may be found in the Zoologist for igoi, pp. 339 and 454.



