342 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



weeds on the place — whether nest or otherwise — and the female 

 then dives and lays a piece too. They lay two or three pieces 

 between them, but in a very perfunctory manner, and then swim 

 away. Now when the male, as I believe it to have been, leapt up 

 the first time and pairing ensued, he assumed a peculiar pose, 

 curling his neck over and down, with the bill pointing at the 

 ground (weeds) perhaps six inches above it, and stood thus, fixed 

 and rigid, for some moments (as though making a point) before 

 sinking down and lying all along. There was no mistaking the 

 entirely sexual character of this strange performance, the peculiar 

 fixed rigidity full of import and expression. On the two sub- 

 sequent occasions of his leaping up he made precisely this same 

 pose ; his actions from first to last — from his approach and leap 

 to his lying along — were identical in every respect. That it was 

 the larger of the two birds on these two second occasions (the 

 one that I have seen last year act as the male as well as as the 

 female) there is no doubt whatever, and I have hardly, if at all, 

 less doubt that it was the same one (the male) on the first occa- 

 sion also, and that the female acted as the male bird usually does. 

 Ajjril 2Qtk. — Shortly after I come (about 7 a.m.) the Grebes 

 approach the point of weeds, and, when just ofi' it, front each 

 other, toying with their bills. There is nothing further, how- 

 ever, and shortly both swim together to the opposite shore, and 

 begin fishing. I see each of them come up with a fish, and 

 swallow it. They then swim back to the platform or nest, and 

 the male, without any doubt (that is to say, the considei-ably 

 larger one which has performed the usual office of the male on 

 various occasions last year), leaps up, and lies along precisely as 

 described yesterday. The female comes up, and seems about to 

 ascend, but (just as last year, both with her and the male) does 

 not do so, and after a little swims out to a short distance, and 

 remains riding at anchor. The male looks round at her once or 

 twice, then stands up, manipulates the weeds a little with his 

 bill, lies along as before, and waits again. This proving to no 

 purpose, he comes off, and rejoins the female, and both swim 

 quietly in each other's company. This is at about 7.30. At 

 8.15 the birds return, and there is just the same thing in all 

 essential particulars, the male pulling the weeds about in a 

 desultory manner before coming off into the water. 



