diftance, flapping its wings and chattering, then on a fudden 

 diving and reappearing at the fpot from whence it took its 

 departure ; we believe it is almoft invariably the practice 

 of this bird, that, when it dives, it does not, as is common 

 with the duck tribe, continue its way forward, but returns, 

 and by this mode is enabled to elude its purfuers, who looking 

 for its appearance at a confiderable diftance forward, mod 

 generally lofe the object of their purfuit ; when alarmed, it 

 dives to the firft tuft of grafs or rufhes, and will remain with 

 only its bill above water for a great length of time ; its fight 

 is very keen, and a perfon wifhing to moot one muft always 

 follow it, for if he mould be before, the bird will dive the 

 inftant it perceives the flam from the gun. 



The neft is formed of fo great a quantity of grafs, flags, 

 and other vegetables, that Pennant fuppofed that it fermented, 

 and gave warmth to the eggs ; it is woven . together with the 

 leaves and part of the item of fome tall aquatic plant, which 

 are bent down to the furface of the water ; and by this method 

 the neft is not liable to injury from any fudden rife of the 

 water, and is generally fecure from being carried away by the 

 current. The Dabchick lays five or fix whitifh eggs, which 

 are frequently ftained by fome of the vegetables with which 

 they are covered ; the female does not fit immediately on the 

 eggs, as there ufuajly is a quantity of rufhes laid over them, 

 that prevents the eggs from being expofed, lhould any fudden 

 accident call the bird off. " They are very frequently de- 

 voured while diving in purfuit of fmall fifii, by pike and trout j" 

 the eggs alfo frequently afford a meal to the water-rat. 



The principal food of this bird is fmall fifh, aquatic infects, 

 and worms ; in the winter it will live on the roots of fuch 



plants 



