OBNITHOLOGICAL OBSERVATION IN ICELAND. 73 



of the others deviating in sympathy, and thus they become 

 grouped, separated and amalgamated again, as each draws or is 

 drawn by another. They have a habit of stretching out the 

 head and neck along the water, and swimming so deeply that 

 sometimes only the upper line of these and the top of the back 

 — or even that alone — can be seen, but whether they are fishing 

 or drinking, or engaged in anything special, when they do this, I 

 cannot make out. Sometimes two would come together, as 

 though by mutual attraction, seem about to touch with their 

 bills, then both dash under water, as in coquetry or bashful 

 confusion. As their mood grows more sprightful, first one and 

 then another takes wing, rising with a great deal of preliminary 

 flapping along the water, flying then, for a little", low over it, and 

 coming down on it again. In this last I made special note of 

 the mode of transition from flight to natation, as shown more 

 particularly by one of them, or rather I concentrated my atten- 

 tion more strongly on this one — no doubt the performance was 

 representative. Instead of descending upon the water at a 

 slant, as does a Duck, and as I have seen the Red-throated 

 Diver do, he sank down upon it while flying quite horizontally, 

 and yet not abruptly so, but very gradually — a mode which had 

 a curious new grace in it. At length, one of the quartette flew 

 round a bend of the hill?, probably into some other sheet of 

 water, opening out from beyond where this lake narrows, at 

 what seems its one end. Then, from the distance, came the 

 quavering note which I have described, and, before long, first 

 one of the remaining three, and then the other two, flew after 

 and were lost to me. 



Of the two pairs of Horned Grebes that have taken this little 

 stream — or rather this little end of it, which, alone, is adapted 

 for the purpose — as a breeding-place, I doubt if the birds that 

 have eggs ever go abroad on the lake together, or, at least, not 

 often or for long. The other pair, however, that have not yet 

 laid, resort there at intervals, and disport themselves on its 

 broader expanse, in a larger and wilder way. I noticed them 

 diving, splashingly, and then, for a time, going only just 

 beneath the surface — in frolicsome mood, as it seemed. From 

 these merriments they repair to the nest, both to add to its 

 structure, and also for the special purpose, as is now apparent, 



Zool. 4th ser. vol. XVIII., February. 1914. G 



