24- cassell's book of birds. 



The male and female sit upon the eggs alternately, but the female has the greater share in the 

 business of incubation, the male often swimming around the place apparently for the purpose 

 of keeping her company. Should, however, both be obliged to leave the nest at the same time, they 

 carefully cover the eggs with a mass of half-rotten water-plants, brought up from the bottom for the 

 purpose. In about three weeks the young are hatched, even from eggs which during a great part of 

 the time have been lying in the water. From the first moment they are able to swim, and in the 

 course of a few days to dive ; they are, however, constantly accompanied by their parents, who often 

 give them shelter under their wings. Having once quitted the nest, the young ones seldom return 

 to it, a comfortable resting and sleeping place being afforded to them on the backs of their parents. 



THE CRESTED GREBE. 



The Crested Grebe {Podiceps cristatus), the stateliest member of the family, is a bird of 

 considerable size, measuring from twenty-five to twenty-six inches in length, and from thirty-six to 

 thirty-seven in breadth. The length of the wing is seven inches. During the time of its courtship 

 this bird is furnished with a very remarkable head-dress, consisting of a large bunch of long feathers, 

 divided above into two horn-like appendages, and also with a prominent collar or frill of hair-like 

 plumes, on each side of the upper extremity of the neck and sides of the head. The upper parts 

 of its body are of a shining blackish brown, a bright patch on each wing ; the region of the cheeks 

 and the throat are white ; the collar around the neck rust-red, with a blackish brown margin. The 

 under part of the body is of a glossy satiny white, speckled upon the sides with rusty red and dark 

 grey- The eye is carmine-red, the bridles red, the beak pale red ; the outer aspect of the tarsus is 

 dark horn-colour, and the inner side yellowish grey. In its winter garb, the tufts upon the head and 

 the collar are not developed, the brown upon the upper part of the body is mingled with deep grey, 

 and the rust-red of the collar as well as the rust-brown of the sides is duller. The female is 

 distinguishable from the male by her smaller size, but not by any difference in her colour. The 

 young birds are less beautiful than are the adults in their winter dress, and are striped about the head 

 and neck. The nestlings are at first clothed in greyish brown, streaked with black. 



The Crested Grebe is to be met with wherever suitable pieces of water exist over all parts of 

 Europe south of 6o° north latitude. It is by no means scarce in Germany, and is still more 

 abundant in lakes further to the south. In England it is principally met with in Shropshire and 

 Lincolnshire, and is reckoned as a stationary bird even in Zetland. It the northern countries it makes 

 its appearance early in the spring, generally in April, or shortly after the melting of the snow, and 

 remains until October or November, when it retreats to Southern Europe and Northern Africa. In 

 Greece and Spain it remains all through the winter ; indeed, the numbers to be met with in those 

 countries are considerably augmented by arrivals from localities further north. In North-western Africa 

 it likewise makes its appearance at regular intervals, but in Egypt only a few solitary birds are to be 

 met with. In Central and Northern Asia it is quite as common as it is in Europe, and there its range 

 seems to extend from Siberia to Southern China and Japan. It is likewise abundant in North 

 America, extending from the north of that continent to the southern provinces of the United States. 

 In early spring these birds always make their appearance in pairs, but towards the autumn large parties 

 of them may be seen together, consisting of fifty or sixty individuals, who keep company with each 

 other during their migration southwards. In their migrations it is generally understood that these 

 birds only travel by night, and that wherever large lakes or rivers are to be found, as also along the 

 sea-coast, they make their way principally by swimming. During the summer season the Crested 

 Grebe takes up its abode on extensive lakes, where reeds and other water-plants are abundant. Their 

 powers of swimming and diving are quite wonderful. According to Naumann's observations, this 



i. 



