LITTLE GREBE. 176 
LITTLE GREBE (orn DABCHICK). 
PopIcEPs FLUVIATILIS, T'unst. 
Pl. XXVIL,, fig. 3. 
Geogr. distr.—Europe generally from Scandinavia to Africa, and 
on the latter continent to the Cape; Asia to Japan, and southwards 
to Australia and New Zealand; generally distributed and resident in 
Great Britain. 
Food.—Water-plants, seeds, insects, Mollusca, fish. 
Nest.—A mass of aquatic herbage, such as reeds, flags, rushes, 
mosses, and soft, green water-weeds, sometimes piled up to about a 
foot above the surface of the water. 
Position of nest.—Usually amongst reeds or rushes, sometimes 
floating but anchored to the growing stalks; in lakes, slow rivers, 
and occasionally fish-ponds. 
Number of eggs.—4-5; rarely 6. 
Time of nidification.—IV-VII; May. 
Although the top of the nest is, as already stated, 
occasionally raised some height from the water, I believe 
it is rarely more than an inch or two above it. It is 
always saturated with moisture, like that of P. cristatus, 
and is covered with freshly-gathered weeds. Its position 
is generally from twenty to thirty yards from the water’s 
edge. When disturbed, the bird almost invariably dives ; it 
is rare indeed for it to attempt to escape by flight. If 
forced to leave its eggs, it invariably, before diving, covers 
them up with fresh weed from the side of the nest. 
When first laid the eggs of the Little Grebe are pure 
white, but they gradually lose their clean aspect, probably 
being purposely stained by the bird with wet and partly- 
decayed weed. I have seen an egg which was taken from 
the nest as soon as deposited, the bird having been surprised 
in the act of laying, and it was as pure in colour as that of 
a Wood Pigeon. 
According to Mr. Charles Thurnall (see 4th ed. Yarrell, 
vol. iv., p. 189) this bird, when accompanied by young 
chicks, and pursued, appears to tow them along—“ one 
went on one side and one on the other, and seemed to take 
hold of the feathers beneath the wing, which she raised 
apparently for that purpose, and placing the tip of a wing 
on each young one, as if to keep them in their places, she 
swam slowly off,” 
