36 BIRDS OF THE DISTRICT OF GEELONG 
But I think most of these birds move northward to 
the Murray River swamps as the summer draws on, 
for, common as the birds are in winter, the nest has 
very seldom been found in the Geelong district. How 
do such wretched fliers as Grebes get from Geelong 
to the Murray ? you may say. Well, in spite of the 
commonly held opinion that Grebes can do no more 
than flutter along the surface, they are capable of 
extended flights at times. I was duck-shooting one 
February, near the old Wyuna Homestead, Tongala. 
A pair of birds. Ducks as it seemed, came flying fast 
and high, so high as to be almost out of range, down 
the wind along the course of a lagoon on whose 
bank I was posted. I fired when they were at their 
nearest, bringing one down, and was greatly surprised 
to find it was a Hoary-headed Grebe. My theory as 
to the Grebes generally is that during late spring and 
summer all the Grebes can fly and do fly strongly 
and well, but only at night, except when driven out 
of the water by people shooting. 
That a few Hoary-headed Grebes breed at intervals 
in the Geelong district is certain. In December, 1901, 
I was exploring an extensive shallow swamp (since 
reclaimed) on what is now Sparrovale, with the 
object of discovering the breeding-place of the Marsh 
Tern. After some hours of wading I came upon a 
small " rookery " of the Terns' nests, and among 
them three nests of this Grebe, one with four eggs 
and two with three each, built of heaped weeds in 
about a foot of water, among growing marsh-grass. 
