GREAT CRESTED GREBE. 7 
mucli resorted to by this species, since its legs are not 
adapted for such modes of exercise. 
The attitude of a Grebe when sitting upright by the 
water-side is not pleasing, nor is it often that a person has 
the opportunity of seeing the bird in that position. 
In the acts of diving and swimming below the surface 
of the water, there is no Grebe that can excel the 
present species, not only for swiftness but endurance, it 
is therefore a difficult matter to come within gun-shot of 
it; this bird being very shy, and seemingly clever enough 
to know its enemies, it generally requires a rifle to reach 
the distance within which the Great Crested Grebe can 
be approached. 
The call-note of the Great Crested Grebe sounds like 
the word cuck, cuck, click! and when the bird is much 
excited, the call is as it were multiplied and varied to 
cracerrr, cracerrr! Like the moor-hen and other water- 
birds that frequent a weedy shelter by day, the present 
species is very lively in the evening, and thereby frequently 
discovers its retreat to the initiated listener. 
The food of the Great Crested Grebe consists of all 
kinds of aquatic insects, their larvae, small fry and tad¬ 
poles, all of which it takes by diving or searching about 
among reeds, rushes, water-lilies, &c. It is a remarkable 
fact that the specimens obtained of this species, invariably 
prove to have feathers in their stomachs, as well as the 
remains of their food; but whether this addition is a 
necessary requisite for the aid of digestion, is difficult to 
ascertain. Upon close investigation it will be found that 
the feathers alluded to, are from the breast and belly of 
the bird itself. 
The breeding of this species takes places on almost 
every suitable piece of water in our latitudes; the pair 
