G R E 
G R E 
body of the infect is alfo lengthened during this 
operation, and becomes more beautiful than be- 
fore. 
Thefe infers are generally vocal in the iniddle 
of fummer; and, about fun-fet, their notes are 
much louder than during the heat of the day. 
They uniformly feed on grafs; and, if their bellies 
be prelic'd, they will immediately return the juices 
of the plants on which they have Lift fed. Though 
averfe to the exertions of flight, and flow in their 
Tierial excurfions, particularly when the weather is 
moift or cool, they are fometimes feen to fly to 
confiderable diftances. If caught by one of their 
hinder-legs, they fpeedily difengage themselves 
from it, leaving the member behind: this, how- 
ever, does not grow again, as is ufual with crabs 
and fpiders; for, being anim.als Vs^hofe duration is 
limited to a Angle year, they have not fufficient 
time for repairing thofe accidental niisfortunes. 
The lofs of their legs alfo prevents them from fly- 
ing. When I'oughly handled, they bite with great 
feverity ; and, in the act of flying, make a particu- 
lar noife with their wings. 
Such are tlie habits and nature of diofe little 
vocal infe6ls, which fwarm in our meadows, and 
enliven the fccne. The larger kinds differ from 
them only in fize, in rapidity of flight, and their 
pov/ers of injuring mankind by the devafl:ations 
they commit on the produce of the earth. See 
Locust. 
GRAY. A provincial appellation for the bad- 
ger. 
Gray is alfo ufed in fome provinces to exprefs 
a fpecies of wild duck, more commonly known by 
the name of the gadwall. 
GRAYLING, or UMBER; theSalmoThy- 
mallus of Linn^us. This is a very voracious 
fifh, and eagerly feizes a bait. It fwims with ra- 
pidity, difappears like the tranfient paflJltge of a 
lhadow, and from thence has probably received the 
name of Umbra. It's figure is elegant ; the body, 
which is longer and flatter than that of the trout, 
feldom exceeds eighteen inches; the head is dufky; 
the coverts of the gills are of a glofly green co- 
lour; the back and fides are a fine filvery grey, 
whence it receives the name of Grayling; but, 
when the fifn is juft caught, they are flightly va- 
ried with blue and gold. The lateral line is 
flraight ; the fcales are large, their lower edges be- 
ing duflcy, and forming regular rows from head to 
tail ; the top of the back fin is red, the lower part 
being a blueifli purple; the ventral fins are blue- 
iih, fpotted with black; and the tail is much 
forked. The lips are rough like a file; the tongue 
is fmooth ; and the gills are quadruple. 
The Grayling haunts clear and rapid fl:reams, 
particularly thofe flowing through mountainous 
countries. It is found in the rivers of Derby- 
Ihire; in fome of the more northern fl:reams; in the 
Hodder, the Dove, the Trent, the Derwent, the 
Wye, and the Lug. It is alfo very common in 
Lapland, where the inhabitants make ufe of it's 
entrails inftead of runnet, to curdle the milk of the 
rein-deer. It's flefh, which is firm, wholefome, 
and agreeable, niay be eaten at all fealbns of the 
year, but is in it's greatefl: perfeftion in the month 
of December. 
GREBE. In the Linnsan fyftem, the Grebe 
is a fpecies of the colymbus, comprehending feve- 
ral varieties; the difl:inguifliing charafters of which 
are thefe: the bill is long, fl:raight, and fharp- 
pointedi there is no tailj and the legs are flat, 
thin, and ferrated behind with a double row of 
notches. 
Grebe, Great-Crested ; the Colymbus Crif- 
tatus of Linnaeus. This fpecies weighs about two 
pounds and a half; it's length is twenty-one in- 
ches, and the expanfion of it's wings thirty. The 
bill, which is upwards of two inches long, is red 
at the bafe and black at tlie point ; betv/een the 
bill and the eyes there is a llripe of black naked 
{\dn-y the irides are of a fine pale red colour; and 
the head is adorned with a large dufky creft, fepa- 
rated in the mdddle. The cheeks and the throat 
are furrounded with a long pendent ruff' of a bright 
tawny colour edged with black; the chin is white; 
above the eye there is a white line; the hind-parc 
of the neck, and the back, are of a footy hue; and 
the rump is covered with long fo^t down, which 
fupplies the place of a tail. The covert-feathers 
on the fecond and third joints of the wings and 
the fecondaries are white; all the other wing-fea- 
thers are dufl<y ; the breafl: and the belly are of a 
mofl: beautiful filvery white colour, glofly as fattin, 
and extremely elegant; the plumage under the 
wings is dufl<y, blended with tawny; the outfide 
of the legs, and the bottom of the feet, aredufl^y; 
and the infides of the legs, and the toes, are a pale 
green. 
This bird, from the fliortnefs of it's wings and 
feet, being ill adapted for flying or v/alkins;, fel- 
dom quits the water, and chiefly inhabits thofe 
broad fliallow pools where it's faculty of fwimming 
can be turned to the greatefl: advantage in fifliing. 
It principally frequents the meres in Shropfhire 
and Chefliire, where it breeds among reeds and 
flags, in a floating nefl: kept fteady by tlie weeds 
of the margin.' The female is faid to nurfe her 
young very carefully, being obferved to feed them 
mofl: afllduoufly with fmall eels; and, when fa- 
tigued, to carry them on her back, or under her 
wings. 
This fpecies preys on fifli, and is almoft perpe- 
tually diving. It fhcws only it's head above the 
water; and is very difficult to be fhot, as it finks 
on the moft difl:ant appearance of danger. It is 
never feen on land; and, though very frequently 
difturbed, it never quits the lake where, by diving 
and fwimming, it is taught to expeft food and le- 
curity. 
The Grebe is chiefly fought after for the fidn of 
it's breafl:, the plumage of which is made into tip- 
pets. But the fl-cins of thefe birds are out of fea- 
fon about February, when they lofe the brightnefs 
of their colour; and, during the time of incuba- 
tion, their breafts are entirely bare. Their fiefli 
is excefllvely rank ; but the fat is efl:eemed highly 
efficacious in rheumatic pains, cramps, and para- 
lytic contradlions. 
Grebe, Lesser, Crested, or Eared; the Co- 
lymbus Auritus of LinnjEus. This fpecies is 
about a foot long, and twenty-two inches broad ; 
the bill is black, fl.ender, and flightly recurvatedj 
the head and neck are black; the throat is fpotted 
with white; the whole upper fide is of a blackifh 
brown colour, except the ridge of the wing above 
the firft joint, and the tips of the quiil-feathers, 
v/hich are white; and the breafl:, belly, and inner 
coverts of the wings, are white. A tuft of long 
loofe feathers hangs backwards, od each fide, be- 
hind the eyes; the irides are crimfon-coloured; a 
bare fl:ripe of red extends from the bill to the eyes; 
and the legs are a duflcy green. 
Thefe birds breed in the fens near Spalding in 
Lincolnfhirej 
