LITTLE GRELE 
PODICEPS MINOR. 
This diminutive Diver is widely distributed over the British Islands ; I met with numbers on the shallow 
and reedy lochs in Caithness, Sutherland, and Ross-shire; several pairs also have been observed nesting 
about the rush-grown pools and ponds in the east of Sussex. It is somewhat strange that in the east 
of Norfolk, where the larger broads might naturally be supposed to offer attractions to this species, 
the Little Grebe is by no means abundant, the few that I have met with being observed for the most 
part about the dykes and small rush-grown pools in the marshes. As their haunts are generally surrounded 
by low cover, such as elder, hazel, willow, or brambles, below which they seek slielter when alarmed, it is 
probable that, though the fact of their residence in these parts usually escapes the observation of tlie 
natives, a few pairs rear their young in the district. In Sussex I remarked of late years that this species 
appears to have considerably decreased in numbers, many of the pieces of water to which these birds 
were regular summer visitors being now entirely deserted. 
Though difficult to force on wing, an adult Little Grebe can fly strongly and at a rapid pace when 
once a start has been effected; but few opportunities for watching them making their way from one 
spot to another have, however, fallen to my share. A pair that nested on a shallow and rush-grown pond 
of about a quarter of an acre near the church in the centre of the village at Palmer, near Brighton, regularly 
made their appearance on the approach of summer : their arrival and departure probably took place 
during the hours of darkness, as I could gain no information concerning their movements from even the 
workmen constantly employed near at hand. 
In autumn a partial migration towards the south undoubtedly takes place; at this season small 
parties numbering from three or four up to eight or nine, or even a dozen, have occasionally come under 
my notice within a short distance of the shores of the Cliannel. The river and pools in the marsh between 
St. Leonards and Bulverhithe, the backwater at the sluice in Pevensey Level, and the flooded meadows 
between Lancing and Shoreham are the spots where the largest gatherings have been witnessed. On 
one occasion a party of ten were seen swimming and playing on the open salt water just off the break- 
waters to the west of Shoreham. Towards the latter end of September 1878 Little Grebes were unusually 
abundant along the south coast ; for several consecutive days I noticed at least a dozen on a piece of 
brackish water that had collected inside the shingle-banks. Wlien threatened by danger the birds dived 
in towards an embankment thrown up to keep back the encroaching tide, and concealed themselves 
among some faggots staked down to assist in resisting the wash of the water. In several instances, 
on approaching the spot near which one had been lost sight of, their bright eyes were detected below 
the surface, their bodies being almost entirely hidden among the weeds and rubbish gathered between the 
faggots. On retiring quietly from the vicinity of their place of concealment, but few minutes elapsed 
before they were again busily diving for food, black bugs and various other insects of repulsive aspect 
